Enhanced role for immigration officers at US airports as shutdown frustrates travels and screeners - AP News

Immigration officers are taking on expanded duties at U.S. airports as a government shutdown disrupts normal operations and leaves screening resources strained. The enhanced role reflects efforts to maintain airport security and passenger flow despite staffing constraints caused by the shutdown's impact on federal agencies. Transportation Security Administration screeners and other airport personnel are operating under reduced capacity, forcing immigration officials to shoulder additional responsibilities beyond their standard border inspection duties. The shift highlights how shutdowns cascade across airport operations, affecting not just one agency but the entire system of security and customs processing that travelers depend on. The arrangement is expected to continue until normal federal funding and operations resume.