ATLANTA (AP) — Federal immigration officers have been observed at Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport in the wake of President Donald Trump's declaration to deploy agents to bolster the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). This decision comes amid an ongoing government shutdown that has led to extended wait times at airport security checkpoints nationwide.

On Monday morning, several federal agents were reported by The Associated Press observing the long security lines at one of the busiest airports in the United States. Typically, Customs and Border Protection officers oversee the screening of international travelers, while Homeland Security Investigations agents deal with crimes related to smuggling and trafficking.

However, the presence of immigration agents at TSA checkpoints represents a deviation from standard procedure, which normally involves transportation security officers managing security tasks. Trump's announcement on Sunday asserting that federal immigration agents would assist in airport security marked a notable shift in operational protocols during the shutdown crisis.}