Customs To Double Staff At Overwhelmed Chicago O'Hare Airport

CHICAGO, IL — After thousands of international travelers at O'Hare International Airport were forced into close quarters for as long as six hours to wait for coronavirus screenings at U.S. Customs, the Trump administration has pledged to double staffing at the checkpoint.

Weary, frustrated travelers tweeted photos and videos of massive lines late Saturday night and early Sunday morning inside O'Hare's international terminal. New travel restrictions imposed by the Trump administration required Customs officers to perform a health check on passengers returning to the United States via international flights.

Thousands of people packed together in tight quarters for hours at a time has a dangerous potential to spread the virus, according to federal health officials.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Sunday he spoke with Vice President Mike Pence and Chad Wolf, acting secretary of Homeland Security, who told him in a phone call that "mistakes" were made.

Pritzker, who criticized the situation in Twitter late Saturday, appeared on NBC's "Meet The Press" Sunday morning.

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“We knew when the president gave the orders that European travel was going to be cut off, that there would be an influx of people traveling back to beat the cutoff," Pritzker said. "What should have happened is they should have increased the Customs and Border Patrol numbers and the CDC workers on the ground. They did neither of those.

"Today it's going to be even worse."

The Customs desks were reportedly understaffed and could not handle the huge influx of passengers who returned to the United States after the president's new travel bans. All passengers re-entering the United States through Customs are under federal jurisdiction.

O'Hare Airport was one of 13 in the United States accepting travelers from Europe. Similar crowds and delays were experienced at Dallas/Fort Worth Airport, JFK Airport and others

The crowds in Terminal 5 — likely to repeat on Sunday — came as the nation's health officials urged Americans to practice "social distancing," avoiding crowds of 100 people or more and staying home as much as possible to slow the spread of the new coronavirus. The deplaned travelers in the international terminal, however, were forced to wait shoulder-to-shoulder for hours upon hours.

Passengers told reporters the health check consisted of a quick temperature check and questions about whether they felt sick.

"It took three hours to get through Customs. It took another two hours to get through the health check, and then took another hour to get through the CDC," Emma Reusch told NBC Chicago after making her way through. "All they do is they find someone to pair you with, scan your temperature real quick, ask how you feel and send you on your way."

Acting Customs and Border Patrol Commissioner Mark Morgan, calling this an "unprecedented situation," tweeted this response Sunday morning: "We are aware of the reports of increased wait times at some airports across the nation. CBP along with medical personnel are working diligently to address the longer than usual delays. Nothing is more important than the safety, health and security of our citizens."

After arriving home, passengers are then expected to voluntarily self-quarantine for 14 days. The restrictions went into effect at 11:59 p.m. Friday.

Pritzker erupted on Twitter and blasted the president, saying the administration's travel policies were to blame for the unsafe conditions at O'Hare.

"The crowds & lines O'Hare are unacceptable & need to be addressed immediately," Pritzker tweeted at about 9:50 p.m. "The federal government needs to get its s@#t together. NOW."

NBC's Chuck Todd asked Pritzker if the Trump administration responded to him.

"What I got was a call about 11 o'clock last night, after that tweet, from a White House staffer who yelled at me about the tweet," the governor replied.

O'Hare Airport tweeted this on Saturday: "Attention travelers: customs processing is taking longer than usual inside the Federal Inspection Services (FIS) facility owing to enhanced #COVID19 screening for passengers arriving from Europe. Thank you for your patience.

"We have strongly encouraged our federal partners to increase staffing to meet demand."

Elsewhere in the airport's domestic terminals, few passengers could be seen as people increasingly avoid non-essential air travel and airlines reduce flights.

Pritzker said he would enlist the help of U.S. Sens. Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth to address the Customs problem.

"This is unacceptable, counterproductive and exactly the opposite of what we need to do to prevent the spread of #COVID19. The Trump Administration must send more support to O'Hare immediately," Sen. Duckworth tweeted Saturday night as the lines piled up.

To avoid large congregations of people, the governor on Friday ordered all schools in Illinois to close. Additionally, all major sports events have been suspended. And wherever possible, people who can are encouraged to telecommute to help slow the spread of the new coronavirus. On Friday, the president declared a national emergency and imposed travel restrictions on Europe.

The travel restrictions compelled many Americans abroad to scramble to get home.

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot took issue with the newly imposed travel policy.

"This is unacceptable. The reactionary, poorly planned travel ban has left thousands of travelers at ORD forced into even greater health risk. @realdonaldtrump and @CBP: no one has time for your incompetence," the mayor tweeted. "Fully staff our airport right now, and stop putting Americans in danger."

Chicago Police officers distributed hand sanitizer and wipes through the crowds as people waited.

As Chicagoans weigh in on the problem, #OHareAirport is trending on Twitter.

Pritzker appeared Sunday morning on NBC's "Meet The Press" to discuss the federal government's coronavirus response.

"I wish we had leadership from Washington. We're not getting it," Pritzker said, explaining his decisions to limit public gatherings, including the city's famous St. Patrick's Day Parade and South Side Irish Parade.

"There are a larger number of flights with more people coming, and (federal officials) seem completely unprepared," Pritzker said.

The 13 airports included in the new travel restrictions and accepting travelers from Europe are:

• Boston-Logan International Airport (BOS), Massachusetts
• Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD), Illinois
• Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), Texas
• Detroit Metropolitan Airport (DTW), Michigan
• Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL), Hawaii
• Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), Georgia
• John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), New York
• Los Angeles International Airport, (LAX), California
• Miami International Airport (MIA), Florida
• Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), New Jersey
• San Francisco International Airport (SFO), California
• Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA), Washington
• Washington-Dulles International Airport (IAD), Virginia