US EditionTrump Orders ICE Agents to Assist TSA at US Airports Amid Shutdown
ICE agents will assist TSA amid staffing shortages caused by a partial shutdown, with absentee rates up to 42.4% at major airports, officials said.
- On Saturday, March 21, 2026, President Donald Trump threatened to deploy immigration enforcement agents to U.S. airports, posting 'I will move our brilliant and 'patriotic ICE Agents to the Airports where they will do Security like no one has ever seen before'.
- Facing a partial DHS shutdown, the 50,000-strong TSA workforce has worked without pay since a funding bill expired five weeks ago and faces missing a second paycheck on March 27.
- At major hubs, passengers faced 120-minute waits at George Bush Intercontinental Airport and 80 minutes at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport amid staffing gaps, with over half absent Sunday in Houston and 38% missing Wednesday in Atlanta.
- Officials cautioned that some smaller airports could close and wait times won't improve until funding is restored and TSA officers are paid, while Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer proposed funding only TSA as Democrats press for policy changes for ICE.
- Negotiators intensified talks when White House border czar Tom Homan met bipartisan senators, Senate Majority Leader John Thune said 'This is a pox on everybody's house', and Elon Musk offered to pay TSA officers' salaries.
536 Articles
536 Articles
The White House border tsar, Tom Homan, confirmed this Sunday that the United States will deploy immigration agents (ICE) from tomorrow morning to ease the workload of the Transport Security Administration (TSA), whose employees have not been charged since February. In an interview with CNN’s State of the Union program, Homan said that this measure will help TSA “to fulfil its mission and for the American public to pass through airports as quick…
Trump plans ICE takeover of airport security amid TSA staffing crisis due to government shutdown
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — President Donald Trump is warning that he will send ICE officers to replace TSA agents at airports on Monday if the Congress can’t come to an agreement on reopening the partial government shutdown.
Trump to send ICE to airports as long security lines cause travel chaos
US immigration agents will be deployed to airports on Monday, President Donald Trump said, escalating a standoff in Washington over a government funding deal.Long lines at airports caused frustration among travelers over the weekend as a partial government shutdown forces Transportation Security Administration agents to work without pay.More than 400 TSA workers have quit, and if a funding deal is not reached soon, experts expect a surge in resi…
Donald Trump announced on Monday (local time) that he will deploy Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers to airports to address the staffing shortage caused by a lack of funding.
Norfolk Airport unaffected by ICE deployment plans
NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) -- The Norfolk International Airport has not been advised of any federal plans to deploy ICE agents onsite Monday, or otherwise, according to ORF official Chris Jones. On Saturday, President Trump threatened to deploy Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers to conduct airport security if the Democrats do not agree to a funding bill [...]
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