Mayor Andre Dickens issued the following statement regarding a planned federal presence at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport:
“We have been informed that federal personnel from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO) will be deployed to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
“According to federal officials, these personnel will be assigned to support operational needs directed by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), including line management and crowd control within the domestic terminals. Federal officials have indicated that this deployment is not intended to conduct immigration enforcement activities.
“All federal personnel will report directly to TSA for the duration of this assignment. There are no requests for support from the Atlanta Police Department, and no anticipated impact on City operations at this time.
“Our Administration will continue to monitor the situation closely and remain in communication with the public and travelers as these federal actions develop.
“Atlanta remains committed to ensuring that residents and travelers feel safe, informed, and supported as they move through the world’s busiest and most efficient airport.
“Our Administration remains hopeful the Federal Government can soon find a way to fully fund TSA and pay their employees to resume standard operations at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport—and all airports we connect to.
“To help ease the burden on TSA officers who continue to serve travelers despite not receiving pay, the City and ATL have implemented support measures which can be found here.
