Newark Liberty strained by tower smoke evacuation as LaGuardia reroutes, ICE presence complicate travel
Security lines are longer than usual across the country because there are simply not enough TSA agents.
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Newark Liberty International Airport is navigating a busy travel day as a tower evacuation, TSA shortages, and passengers rerouted from LaGuardia converge during an already active morning.
A ground stop began after smoke was reported around 7:30 a.m., prompting controllers to evacuate the tower and relocate to an alternate location. Fire crews traced the smoke to grinding gears in an elevator. Operations resumed after controllers settled into the temporary ramp tower, and the FAA reported no injuries or structural damage.
News 12 Lauren Due on a hectic morning at Newark Liberty Airport
The ground stop was lifted around 8:30 a.m.
The disruption coincided with LaGuardia Airport’s shutdown following a fatal accident, pushing additional travelers and flight operations toward Newark. Security lines at Newark have fluctuated from just minutes to nearly an hour as hundreds of TSA agents nationwide have quit or called out during the ongoing partial government shutdown.
News 12 cameras also captured Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents at Newark, though the extent of their involvement in security remains unclear.
President Donald Trump previously said ICE agents would assist TSA by guarding exit lanes or checking passenger IDs. Gov. Mikie Sherrill criticized the plan, saying untrained ICE agents should not be staffing airports.
Weather and spring break travel were also expected to contribute to delays, and it remains unclear which airports will continue receiving ICE support or for how long.
