The Senate Commerce Committee’s 47-page report, titled ‘Flight Risk,’ alleges that the Biden administration pressured U.S. airports to house migrants, risking safety and security by diverting federal resources and ignoring proper vetting processes. The report details how the Department of Transportation (DOT) and its agencies, including the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), were directed to find airport facilities for migrant shelters or processing centers. Over 11 airports, including Boston Logan, Chicago O’Hare, and New York’s JFK, reportedly used for this purpose despite warnings from federal and local officials about potential safety breaches.
Internal communications cited in the report show that the White House made an urgent request for the FAA to determine if there were available facilities on airport grounds or surrounding areas. One FAA official noted, “We have received a request from the WH to determine if there are available facilities on airport or surrounding areas… This is an immediate ask so please prioritize this effort.” Another DOT staffer responded, “Yikes, this is definitely Fox News fodder in the making.”
The report further highlights that the FAA and other agencies ignored standard federal grant-assurance rules, which typically require approval for such uses. At Boston Logan, Massport warned federal counterparts: “We are not designed or resourced to manage the intake of migrant populations… this would create a host of unintended safety and security consequences.” Despite that warning, Boston Logan hosted up to 352 migrants overnight, spending $779,000 on security, cleaning, and transportation. Similarly, Chicago O’Hare saw up to 900 migrants sheltered in a shuttle terminal, with police logging 329 service calls and 26 arrests, including thefts and disorderly conduct.
One of the most alarming incidents detailed in the report is a 2024 security breach at JFK Airport involving Kleber Loor-Ponce, an Ecuadorian alien who ran past a security post into the secure area near two runways. When apprehended, security found him carrying a box cutter and pair of scissors. The report also notes that the Department of Transportation allegedly directed its sub-agencies to assist in other migrant-support operations, such as producing a ‘Know Your Rights’ pamphlet for bus passengers and encouraging local transit agencies to use federal grants for migrant transportation.
Sen. Ted Cruz, chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, condemned the alleged actions, stating, “This report exposes how the Biden Department of Transportation conspired with local leaders to house migrants in airport facilities at taxpayer expense. Their decisions—transporting illegal aliens through airports without identity checks, even those with felonies—show in new detail how Biden’s open border policy coopted government agencies to put American citizens at risk.” The report concludes that these directives reflected a