O'Hare Airport travelers face TSA shortages and ICE presence
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ICE officers at O'Hare Monday afternoon. Photo: Carrie Shepherd/Axios
Travelers moving through O'Hare on Monday braced for long lines, travel headaches — and the added uncertainty of ICE officers stationed at airport security.
Why it matters: A partial government shutdown is straining airport operations nationwide — and hitting one of the country's busiest airports at the start of spring break travel.
- TSA staffing shortages and flight disruptions elsewhere could ripple into Chicago.
- City officials expect more than 3.76 million travelers will pass through O'Hare during the peak period (March 19–30).
The latest: The Trump administration deployed ICE officers to assist with airport security, including at O'Hare.
- The Department of Homeland Security declined to specify locations or staffing levels, citing "operational security."
- Mayor Brandon Johnson said roughly 75 ICE officers were expected at O'Hare; none were sent to Midway.
Zoom out: The staffing crunch extends well beyond Chicago.
- ICE officers were also in New Orleans, Pittsburgh and Houston, according to airport officials in those cities.
- Nearly 3,500 TSA agents called out of work at airports across the country on Sunday as they braced for a second missed paycheck driven by the shutdown.
- Call-out rates topped 40% at major hubs including Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport and Hartsfield-Jackson in Atlanta.
- Axios asked TSA officials about call-out rates for O'Hare but they didn't immediately respond.
State of play: Security lines were not overwhelming midday Monday. One line in Terminal 3 listed a 5-minute wait, and regular and PreCheck lines appeared to be standard length.
- Michaela Scheinin from Seattle was anticipating delays because of the shutdown and collision at LaGuardia and was unhappy to learn ICE would also be stationed at airports.
- "ICE agents at airports are always a concern for a lot of people in our communities," Scheinin told Axios.
- "And I think, you know, we should all be able to travel in peace and safely, and hopefully everyone can do that."
Context: Despite relatively smooth travel at O'Hare on Monday, travel experts expect conditions at all U.S. airports to worsen before they improve.
- "Mornings seem to be the worst times," said Clint Henderson of The Points Guy.
- TSA's app and website may not reflect real-time conditions, he added, so plan to get wait times from airlines or airports.
Other tips:
- Know your backup options: Check which other airlines fly your route. If your flight is disrupted, you can ask to be rebooked on a competitor, but you may need to suggest the specific flight.
- Know your rights: Passengers are entitled to a prompt refund if the airline cancels your flight or severely delays it, and you decide not to accept the alternatives.
- Timing matters: You are entitled to a refund within 21 days to your original payment method. That also covers delays within the U.S. of more than three hours or six hours for international flights.
What we're watching: Airlines are warning of higher fares as Iran effectively blocks a vital shipping lane for oil and other global commodities.
- Prices and TSA delays could deter tourists from coming to Chicago at a key time for hotels and businesses.