Thanksgiving is fast approaching and a record-setting 30 million Americans are expected to head to the airport for holiday travel this week, leading one industry expert to sound the alarm regarding the absence of air marshals on flights because they’ve been redeployed to the southern border.
“We just received an email last week that resources are depleted as far as our flying air marshals,” Sonya LaBosco, director of the Air Marshal National Council, told FOX News on Tuesday.
Although individual air marshals initially redeployed to the border was on a voluntary basis, it later became mandatory, sparking outrage and a “mutiny” from the flying law enforcement professionals.
“We are ushering in illegal immigrants on the border and leaving the traveling public unsafe,” LaBosco noted, telling viewers that air marshals are being deployed at the U.S. southern border instead of in the transportation sector where they should be assigned.
LaBosco said DHS and TSA leaders are to blame for the compromised safety at airline terminals and in the skies.
Sen. Ted Cruz (R -Texas) previously questioned the TSA regarding the ongoing air marshal redeployments to the southern border. In a letter addressed to TSA Administrator David Pekoske, Cruz said, “It is concerning that the administration has prioritized ushering illegal immigrants into the country over protecting the lives and safety of the traveling public.”
Amazingly, LaBosco said air marshals sent to the southern border are “not doing law enforcement duties” as you might expect, but they’re “passing out water” instead.
“Secretary Mayorkas has said more than once that the border is secure, so he is not concerned with that. But we all know that the border is not secure. He will not call this a crisis. But now, not only is the border destabilized, our aviation is destabilized as well,” LaBosco emphasized.
Moreover, the AMNC director revealed shocking details regarding current “missions” assigned to air marshals, and it has nothing to do with keeping our skies safe.
“Clearly…we’re not flying right now. The only missions that we’re doing are quiet skies missions, and those are missions that are following the January 2021 people,” LaBosco disclosed, referring to a group federal LEOs who are assigned to tail individuals who flew to the U.S. Capitol region around the time of the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol riot, regardless of their business in the area, FOX News reported.
“We’re either on the border for illegal immigrants or we’re following folks from January 2021. We’re not doing our regular missions where we’re out there looking for the bad guys. So right now, on most flights, you’re not going to have air marshals.”
Finally, LaBosco cautioned that air travelers should be “very concerned” while boarding commercial planes.
“You need to look around to see who you might be able to ask to help you, like a good Samaritan, because you’re kind of on your own. If anything happens, please don’t wait. There’s going to be no law enforcement that’s going to help you, so you need to have a plan. Look where the exit doors are. Look where your flight attendants are standing around you,” she said.
“I would be looking around for a football player…a pretty big guy or a couple big guys, in case you needed to take action.”
