by Travelers passing through Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport said their experiences have been relatively smooth even as airports across the country face delays and an increased presence of federal agents.
“Yeah, I was kind of expecting it to be chaotic, but it wasn’t,” Yadira Vargas said .
Jennifer Lyon said her trip moved quickly through security but still involved delays.
“We got through with about five- to 10-minute stops, and then we were sitting at our gate for three hours,” Lyon said.
While MSP has avoided major disruptions, other airports have seen long lines and additional federal personnel. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have been deployed to help with airport operations amid staffing shortages at the Transportation Security Administration.
At airports such as George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, travelers reported significant delays and longer wait times.
Farah Mourad, who recently traveled through airports in California and Arizona, said she was surprised by the differences.
“I came two hours before my flight, and I was pretty surprised,” she said. “Last week, the lines were pretty huge.”
Mourad also encountered ICE agents during the screening process.
“When I was coming in, at the TSA check, ICE were the ones that checked my ID,” Farah said.
Mourad added it felt weird that ICE agents were checking her bags.
“I feel like this is not their job to be in the airport,” she said. “There’s people for that, so I was just shocked.”
Other travelers reported quicker experiences. Halle Hammer, who flew into the Twin Cities from Newark, said security took only five minutes.
“We were out of TSA within like five minutes,” Hammer said. “I think they overreact on the news. It pulls a lot of worry into people.”
Vargas, who also traveled from Newark, said she noticed ICE agents but did not interact with them.
“The feeling is kind of surreal,” she said. “It gives a kind of military feeling.”
Jama McDermott, who flew in from Los Angeles with Lyon, said she appreciated TSA workers who continued to show up despite challenges.
“Perhaps the politicians who didn’t do their job could have maybe forfeited their pay instead,” McDermott said.
Federal officials said ICE agents were brought in to support airport operations as staffing shortages impacted security checkpoints nationwide.
