Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents are now patrolling O’Hare Airport.
The arrival of about 75 agents to O’Hare - and others at several airports across the country - comes after President Trump ordered their deployment during the partial government shutdown and while O’Hare and Midway are packed with spring break travellers.
WBBM observed agents watching TSA security as long lines of flyers moved through Terminal in 2.
Their presence in tans vests reading POLICE ICE garnered looks from travellers - and some mixed reactions.
Mayor Brandon Johnson says agents will be doing things like monitoring exit lanes, making announcements to speed along passengers and helping with lines so TSA agents can focus on screening.
A man flying from Toronto asked “what's the point of them being here? Everyone coming off the plane has been (through) either via passport, or facescan, thumbprint, you name it.”
However, Douglas Viederis of Rockford welcomed them and said everything should be smooth if people aren’t doing anything wrong.
Mayor Johnson says he’s concerned about the deployment, which for now does not extend to Midway.
He says his office will monitor the situation to make sure people, regardless of immigration status, can travel through Chicago “without harassment from the federal government.”
The Chicago Department of Aviation anticipates a 13% increase in travelers at O’Hare over this time last year.
More than 3.76m passengers are expected to go through O’Hare and Midway March 19-30.
During the height of the morning rush, airport staff briefly closed one security checkpoint for TSA PreCheck users in O’Hare’s Terminal 1, telling passengers it was at capacity.