ICE deploys agents to airports to assist TSA amid government shutdown

The partial government shutdown affecting the Department of Homeland Security has created a staffing crisis at Transportation Security Administration checkpoints nationwide.

“Whether it's ICE agents or TSA”

ABC7 Los Angeles

President Donald Trump deployed Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to assist with overwhelmed airport security operations.

ABC7 Los Angeles

The shutdown began on February 14 when funding for DHS lapsed amid a congressional standoff over immigration enforcement.

Nearly 50,000 TSA officers have been left without pay during the shutdown.

Trump announced on his Truth Social platform that ICE agents would be deployed to 'do the job far better than ever done before'.

TSA callout rates have reached unprecedented levels with nearly 12% of officers missing work on Sunday.

More than 3,450 officers called out nationwide according to DHS data.

The deployment of ICE agents has occurred at 14 major airports across the United States.

Travelers have experienced dramatically different wait times depending on location and timing.

Al Jazeera

At Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, security lines extended into parking garages and reached up to three hours at their peak.

Officials urged passengers to arrive at least four hours early for flights at Atlanta.

Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport saw wait times spike to over 220 minutes on Sunday.

JFK International in New York recorded 33.4% TSA officer absenteeism on the same day.

Atlanta saw significantly shorter lines on Tuesday compared to Monday's chaos after ICE deployment.

The deployment locations include Chicago O'Hare, Cleveland Hopkins, Houston William P. Hobby, and Southwest Florida International Airport.

ICE agents deployed to airports are performing limited duties focused on crowd control and line management.

“The delays also come at a time when the US-Israel war on Iran has resulted in additional complications when it comes to international travel, from cancelled or rerouted flights to heightened energy prices and concerns over security”

Al Jazeera

ICE agents are not operating X-ray machines since they 'are not trained in that,' according to White House border czar Tom Homan.

ICE agents are assisting with securing exit lanes and checking IDs to free up TSA officers.

Aviation unions and security experts have expressed serious concerns about the deployment.

The American Federation of Government Employees noted that 'ICE agents are not trained or certified in aviation security.'

Former acting ICE director John Sandweg warned that ICE presence could create operational problems.

ICE agents were observed standing in groups at the front of TSA security lanes in New Orleans.

Agents were instructing passengers on protocols but not actually performing screening duties.

The deployment of ICE agents to airports has become a political flashpoint in the DHS funding battle.

Democrats have refused to fund DHS without additional guardrails on federal immigration agents.

Associated Press News

The killings of two U.S. citizens, Alex Pretti and Renée Good, during immigration raids spurred Democratic demands.

The TSA officers' union strongly opposed the ICE deployment.

The union stated that 'transportation security officers can't simply be replaced by federal immigration officers.'

Sen. Ruben Gallego called Trump's plan 'a disaster waiting to happen.'

The Trump administration has blamed Democrats for the shutdown and airport chaos.

Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis stated Trump is 'taking action to deploy hundreds of ICE officers.'

A stark pay disparity has emerged between TSA workers and ICE agents during the shutdown.

“Putting untrained personnel at security checkpoints does not fill a gap”

Aviation Week Network

TSA officers have been working without pay since February 14.

Aviation Week Network

ICE agents continue to receive their salaries through Trump's 'One Big Beautiful Bill Act' from last year.

The bill included $75 billion for immigration enforcement through fiscal year 2029.

This funding arrangement has made ICE 'shut-down proof' according to the Cato Institute.

The pay disparity has created significant resentment among TSA workers.

Some TSA workers have resorted to side jobs and rely on coworkers for financial support.

More than 400 TSA officers have quit during the shutdown due to financial pressures.

Trump has rejected proposals to fund DHS except for immigration operations.