TSA Head: Sending Air Marshals to Border Doesn’t Hurt Air Security Because We Can Get Them Back if Needed

On Tuesday’s broadcast of “CBS Mornings,” TSA Administrator David Pekoske said that sending air marshals to the border hasn’t impacted air security and they’re only provided if TSA can spare them and “if we need them back right away, we get them back right away.”

Co-host Tony Dokoupil asked, “People want air security. People also want border security. That was a big issue during the campaign, and, obviously, the Trump administration is emphasizing border security. TSA sends air marshals to assist on the southern border. How are you able to do that and take care of people in the air?”

Pekoske responded, “Well, we send a limited number of air marshals to the southwest border, we had. And we do that based on certain thresholds in partnership with Customs and Border Protection under the Border Patrol. When they reach a certain number of individuals coming across the border, that triggers us to provide additional support. And it’s really — federal air marshals are a law enforcement component and we provide law enforcement assistance to the Border Patrol primarily. So, they can do the primary Border Patrol mission and we support them in their law enforcement endeavors.”

Dokoupil then asked, “And you anticipate that continuing?”

Pekoske answered, “We’ve been doing that since 2019. And, really, once you hit that threshold, the request comes in, and, if we have the capacity — that’s an if — then we provide the resources. But that’s always predicated on the fact that, hey, if we need them back right away, we get them back right away.”

Pekoske added, “There has been no impact on air security.”

Earlier in the interview, Pekoske said that the agency doesn’t have enough investment in it.

Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett

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