A flyer with a classic Brooklyn accent is going viral after saying ICE agents at airports were just there to help – claiming “they’re not bothering nobody.”
Brooklyn resident Chris Scali’s brief interview with News 12 quickly went viral after he shrugged off lefty criticism of the federal agents’ presence at Newark Liberty International Airport this week.
“Oh, they’re right there,” he said as he apparently pointed over to ICE officers in the buzzing travel hub.
“Alright, they’re good, they’re here to help. They’re not bothering nobody. As long as they can check my bags and get me on my flight, I’m good to go,” he continued.
“Right? I want to get to the Bahamas. I want out of here.”
Other New Yorkers waiting in long lines at local airports echoed that sentiment.
The show of support comes as Democrats have lambasted ICE’s arrival at airports to help alleviate stress on TSA agents who are working without paychecks due to a partial government shutdown.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani tweeted, “ICE doesn’t belong at our airports,” while Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner claimed ICE was bothering and scaring passengers.
Hundreds of TSA workers have quit while many more have called out sick, leading to unusually long security lines at major airports.
Scali’s interview was even shared by the Trump administration’s Rapid Response account on X and other supporters of the White House.
Congress has been at a standstill over fully funding the Department of Homeland Security, which covers TSA, over Senate Democrats’ insistence that reforms be made to immigration enforcement.
Other flyers around the tristate area also didn’t have an issue with ICE at airports.
“I’ll be honest I was kind of surprised to see them,” Mary Bojeng, 25, said at LaGuardia Airport on Wednesday.
She was trying to catch a Southwest flight to Tampa to visit her sister.
“But they’re not bothering anyone. I don’t mind them being here because they’re here to help people and keep this line moving,” the Manhattan restaurant manager said.
“I believe, you know, everybody has a right to be here. But no, they’re just here helping and it’s good with me.”
