Senate Report Alleges Biden Administration’s Housing of Migrants at Airports Endangers Safety
A recent Senate report unveils that the Biden administration has been pushing for migrants to be housed at U.S. airports, raising concerns about traveler safety.
The 47-page document titled “Flight Risks,” published by the Senate Commerce Committee, claims the White House instructed several federal agencies, including the Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), to identify airport facilities for use as shelters and processing centers for migrants.
The report reveals that the administration urged the DOT and FAA to assess available facilities at both federal and local airports, aiming to “divert federal resources” to support migrant arrivals.
Internal communication highlighted in the report indicates apprehension among officials. On October 6, 2023, an FAA staff member requested of Massport: “We need to see if there are any facilities available at the airport or nearby… This is an urgent request and we ask that you please prioritize this effort.”
A response from a DOT official bluntly noted, “Hey, this is definitely a Fox News story in the making.”
The commission identified at least 11 airports, such as Boston Logan, Chicago O’Hare, and JFK in New York, that were asked or pressured to accommodate migrants in various airport structures.
FAA officials were reportedly aware that using such facilities typically requires federal approval, yet “airports largely ignored foreign nationals when utilizing their facilities to accommodate them,” the report states.
Massport, which manages Boston Logan, expressed concerns to federal authorities, stating, “we are not designed and do not have the resources to manage the admission of an immigrant population… This will create many unintended safety and security consequences.” Despite these warnings, the terminal housed up to 352 migrants each night, costing $779,000 for security, cleaning, and transportation.
At Chicago’s O’Hare Airport, 900 migrants were reportedly sheltered in a shuttle terminal. The police recorded 329 calls and 26 arrests for various incidents from April 2023 to February 2024, including theft and disorderly conduct.
The report also noted a significant security breach at JFK Airport in 2024, involving an individual from Ecuador who managed to run past a guard post into a secure area near the runways. Upon arrest, security personnel discovered a box cutter and scissors on him.
Additionally, the DOT and its agencies were said to have been directed to assist with broader immigration-related initiatives. The report mentioned that the FMCSA was tasked with creating a “Know Your Rights” pamphlet for bus passengers and tracking companies transporting migrants.
Furthermore, the FTA was “encouraged to remind local transit agencies that federal funding is available for immigrant transportation.” The report concluded that these actions represent a “dangerous diversion” of federal transportation resources.
The report asserts that the Biden administration has made airports less safe by encouraging foreign nationals to find refuge in them, allowing inadequately vetted individuals to travel within the U.S., and reallocating essential Federal Air Marshals to the border. “This report exposes how the Biden Department of Transportation colluded with local leaders in New York, Boston, and Chicago to use tax dollars to house immigrants at airport facilities,” stated Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), chairman of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee. He further criticized the administration’s practices as a means of endangering Americans through lax border policies.
