HOUSTON – Congressman Christian Menefee is set to address a growing federal issue impacting travelers nationwide during a press conference Monday evening at George Bush Intercontinental Airport.
The freshman congressman, who took over the seat for Texas’ 18th Congressional District in February, will speak at 5:30 p.m. at Terminal A Arrivals near the Global Entry area.
READ MORE: ICE agents at Houston airports as TSA staffing shortage, causing delays
The press conference comes in response to a directive from President Donald Trump to deploy U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to airports across the country.
“This morning’s deployment of ICE agents to 13 major U.S. airports to assist with security screening and crowd management underscores the severity of the situation, as hundreds of thousands of Department of Homeland Security (DHS) employees continue to work without pay following the lapse in DHS funding,” a press conference from Menefee’s office read.
Airports where ICE agents could be deployed
According to CNN and other national reports, immigration officers are being sent to at least 14 major U.S. airports, including:
Chicago-O’Hare International Airport
Cleveland Hopkins International Airport
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
Houston’s William P. Hobby Airport
John F. Kennedy International Airport (New York)
LaGuardia Airport (New York)
Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport
Luis Munoz Marin International Airport (San Juan, Puerto Rico)
Newark Liberty International Airport
Philadelphia International Airport
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport
Pittsburgh International Airport
Southwest Florida International Airport (Fort Myers, Florida)
Officials said the list could change depending on staffing needs and travel volume.
The move follows widespread operational strain as hundreds of thousands of Department of Homeland Security employees — including workers with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).
Menefee is expected to highlight the real-time impacts the shutdown is having on travelers, including long security lines and delays, while also raising concerns about the strain placed on federal workers tasked with maintaining airport safety and security.
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