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- TSA staff shortages are causing major disruptions at airports nationwide.
- ICE agents lack specialized training for airport security tasks.
- A Democrat criticizes Trump’s plan to involve ICE in airport security as reckless.
US President Donald Trump indicated on Monday that he might send Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to airports across the country if Congress doesn’t approve immediate funding for airport safety measures.
Due to a partial government shutdown now in its 36th day, Transportation Security Administration (TSA) workers are expected to miss their second consecutive full paycheck scheduled for March 27. The shutdown has led to conflicts among lawmakers over funding for the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees TSA and ICE.
As paychecks have stopped, many TSA employees have called in sick, resulting in a significant security personnel shortage that has disrupted flights at major airports. NBC News reported that over 400 TSA workers have resigned since the shutdown began on February 14, citing DHS sources.
Trump took to Truth Social on Saturday, tweeting, “I will move our brilliant and patriotic ICE Agents to the airports where they will perform security like never before.” He further stated that this deployment would start on Monday unless Democrats agree to provide appropriate security funding.
TSA employs approximately 65,000 personnel, with around 50,000 working as airport security officers.
ICE, central to Trump’s immigration crackdown
ICE agents are not trained for airport security roles, which is the primary responsibility of TSA. ICE has been a key player in the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement efforts, often drawing criticism from Democrats, civil liberties advocates, and immigration groups.
Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut condemned Trump’s proposal as “another reckless, lawless threat to misuse ICE agents.” He expressed concern that deploying ICE agents to airports would be unacceptable and reminiscent of their aggressive tactics at private homes.
Stewart Baker, a former DHS policy official under President George W. Bush, explained that DHS often reallocates resources during emergencies. However, operating TSA without paid staff threatens the agency’s operations. Baker added that while ICE agents aren’t as swift or specialized as TSA officers, deploying them might be a better alternative than having no security personnel at all.
In recent months, ICE and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) have conducted enforcement operations in various locations, including Minnesota, where the agencies fatally shot American citizens Renee Good and Alex Pretti. These incidents sparked public backlash and prompted the Trump administration to change its approach to enforcement in the state.
This month, Trump dismissed Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem amid mounting criticism of immigration policies. The Senate is currently reviewing Senator Markwayne Mullin, an Oklahoma Republican, as a potential replacement.
Trump maintains that his immigration policies aim to reduce illegal crossings and strengthen national security.
Last year, the American Civil Liberties Union criticized TSA for sharing traveler information with ICE, marking a departure from previous protocols.
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