>> Chicago's O'Hare Airport is among at least 14 across the country where the federal government has deployed ice agents to backfill for overwhelmed TSA agents.

The partial government shutdown is now in its 37th day.

And airport security lines are growing longer as agents work without pay as a result, many workers have been calling out for searching for a different job entirely.

Joining us now by zoom to talk about the latest is Daryl English, a TSA officer at Midway Airport and president of GE, Local, 7, 7, 7, That's the union representing TSA agents in Illinois and Wisconsin.

Darrell, Welcome back.

Thank you for joining us again.

as I said, you joined us 2 weeks ago to discuss the DHS shutdown as well as pay for TSA agents.

And you told us then that the situation for agents at Chicago's airports could soon become, quote, devastating.

What is the current status now for TSA workers in the area?

>> Well, TSA still officers are still stressed out because of the situation of not being paid.

They have for paycheck since the end January.

And they've been going by one loans and things of that kind of nature for last too much.

Now, coming up on April, going to be a second month that they may be missing their or their rent going to cause a lot of officers to probably getting.

Think it.

happy have lose their homes and houses.

>> Are you hearing reports of any age and so far that leaving leaving the job, leaving the profession or calling out sick.

So they can work.

Some locals.

>> I've been contact with officers that are deciding on going to a more secure paying position because of issues with the federal government.

We understand that because of end of day, they have to look out for their family.

And TSA is not providing that structure floral, then they need take steps to protect their family in a livelihood.

>> All right.

So the Trump administration, we know that they've been deploying ICE agents, at least 14 airports, including O'Hare, supposedly to assist with line management and security.

But do you think ICE agents presence at TSA checkpoints?

Could that actually be helped to reduce the wait time?

Some folks are experiencing.

>> Well, right now there, as far as what I'm hearing, they're doing limited type of assistance, working the exit lane and assisting passengers with the the vesting, their items.

Is it going to help to some extent?

But the main emphasis is, again, is those officers that are not being paid because if those officer that are not being paid, can't afford to come to work, you're going to have more call Austin and near future.

>> Okay.

And I mean, if that should be the case, you know that the Trump administration is responding by sending ICE agents on.

But we know TSA agents, you all have specific training to detect explosives, weapons threats in an airport setting.

Could ice agents slot into that workflow?

Even in a limited capacity.

>> She had to in order to work those secure positions.

You have to have weeks and months of training to be able to be on your own and just can't come off the streets and then be able to take those positions without being thoroughly tested past.

Certain a certain standard of test in order to be your own.

So those kind of positions like X-ray things I nation they're not going to be able to do in this state in their early training.

>> Chicago, we know is also the focus of large-scale immigration efforts last fall, the DHS called it Operation Midway Blitz, but it did lead to multiple violent encounters between residents and ICE agents.

Are you concerned at all that ISIS presence at O'Hare could make a situation that is already chaotic?

Worse?

>> Well, you have some 6 people that have experience with ice.

So, you know, it's gonna take a while for them to be reassured that these ice ages are out there for best interests.

Time time will be the best way of determining that.

But again, it takes time for people to individuals after being experienced things that, you know, what that were detrimental to its up to some individuals.

>> Everett Kelley is the national President of your union.

The American Federation of Government Employees said earlier today that the Trump administration should be looking to reopen DHS rather than to replace TSA agents with ICE agents.

And as we've said, the shutdown has entered its 37th day.

Lawmakers in DC are scheduled to a 2 week recess for Easter and Passover this Friday, which means that they don't have a deal.

The shutdown could stretch into day 60.

What would you like to see happen on the federal level?

They're all.

>> I would love for these congressional leaders to get together and to pass a full funding bill for those ages 40 40 on Department.

Homeland Security and all the agencies that have have been affected by this, TSA should not innovations.

Abc should not be a in the middle of all of this, especially when we have a war going on in the Middle East.

We need to be unified in to open We need to get the best people qualified to be the work.

Those equipments as it was made to be.

>> The office of the Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson told WTTG W that they have been in contact with you that there's been no word yet ICE agents being deployed to midway.

As of now, it's hair.

But can you tell us anything about the conversations you've had with the mayor's office?

>> It's just general as far as how things are going with officers and let them know how stressed stressful it with the officers, mainly because of the not being paid.

And I let them know about what's coming up in April.

Again, it could begin month is to be their second mortgage or rent.

And with that will cost a lot more officers to have to call off or possibly lead to agency.

And if that would happen to have a bigger issue because you have holes in the end, a security where will take weeks and months to be feel.

>> Congressional Democrats, they've been withholding their votes on funding the Department of Homeland Homeland Security because they say they want reforms for ice.

Do you think Democrats at this point should reopen DHS without the reforms they're seeking.

>> Well, each side has their own reason forward and have to arguments.

Our main thing for TSA is to make sure we're not putting the middle of this.

Tsa have officers like have people just like you, myself.

They have family in have obligations.

So to be caught in the middle of the U.S.

when they should be actually opened up is looks bad for our country because of the situation we have in the Middle >> Ok, Darryl English, president of AFT local, 7, 7,