Redmond Airport officials: no expected ICE presence, no closure risk during shutdown
Tracee Tuesday
REDMOND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Redmond Municipal Airport is not currently slated to receive federal immigration agents or face closure despite the ongoing partial government shutdown.
Jayde Hawkins, the airport security manager, clarified the facility’s status following reports that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents are being deployed to several major U.S. airports to assist with staffing.
The deployment of ICE agents comes as Transportation Security Administration officers at Redmond and across the country are working without pay due to the budget impasse. While U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned on March 19 that small airports could be forced to shut down if the shutdown continues, Redmond officials maintain that the terminal remains fully operational without any expected changes to its schedule.
White House border czar Tom Homan said ICE agents are being utilized in support roles rather than for passenger screening. These tasks include guarding exits and handling other non-screening duties to assist airports experiencing staffing shortages. According to federal officials, these agents are intended to mitigate operational impacts caused by officer callouts or resignations at larger hubs.
ICE agents have already been reported at airports in Atlanta and New York Other locations that could see federal agents include Chicago O’Hare International Airport, Cleveland Hopkins International Airport and John F. Kennedy International Airport. Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport is currently the only West Coast location identified as a potential site for ICE support.
Lauren Bis, a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security, said the agency would not confirm specific locations of the federal agents. Bis cited operational security reasons for the department’s refusal to verify where ICE officers are currently deployed.
Hawkins, who also serves as the primary airport security coordinator, said Redmond does not currently require federal support because the facility is not experiencing the same staffing crises seen at larger travel hubs. “We are not going to see that here in Redmond. Or at least we’re not aware of anything that would be headed our way any time soon,” Hawkins said. “The impact or the support that they would do is just for those staffing issues that they are seeing in some of the larger airports where they are seeing, officers quitting or officer callouts that are, impacting them operationally in order to be able to operate their checkpoints.”
Regarding the potential for closure, Hawkins addressed the airport’s categorization as a small facility and suggested that Redmond’s inclusion in federal warnings may have been an error. “Redmond is not closing anytime soon. Our doors are open. We operate. Our building is. Our terminal is open 24 over seven 365,” Hawkins said. “I believe our name came up just because of the category of airport that we fall into. And so I think there may have been some miscommunication that impacted us in that sense.”
Some TSA officers at Redmond Airport have been employed at the facility for 20 years. In response to the shutdown, the local community has organized to provide essentials for these unpaid workers. Donated items include gift cards, non-perishable food and various household supplies.
Community members who wish to donate items to TSA officers can drop them off at the Redmond Airport administrative office. Hawkins stated the terminal will continue to operate on its normal 24-hour schedule.