Trump Orders ICE Agents to U.S. Airports Amid DHS Shutdown and Staffing Crisis

President Donald Trump ordered the deployment of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to U.S. airports starting Monday, March 23, 2026, in response to mounting chaos at security checkpoints caused by a partial government shutdown that has left Transportation Security Administration employees without pay since February. White House border czar Tom Homan confirmed the plan on CNN's "State of the Union" on Sunday, saying ICE agents would help TSA "carry out its mission and ensure that the American public gets through airports as quickly as possible, while respecting all security rules and protocols." Trump announced the move in a social media post on Sunday morning, writing that he had already told ICE to get ready. The administration has not confirmed which airports will be affected, how many agents will be deployed, or exactly what roles they will fill. Waiting times at major hubs including Houston and Atlanta stretched to two hours on Friday, and Louis Armstrong International Airport in New Orleans advised passengers to arrive at least three hours before their flights.

Homan draws a line at X-ray machines Homan outlined a limited operational role for ICE agents, saying they would not operate X-ray scanners used to inspect carry-on baggage. „I do not see ICE agents checking X-ray machines, because they are not trained for that.” — Tom Homan via CNN State of the Union Instead, he said agents could take over tasks such as guarding exit lanes and checking IDs, freeing TSA officers to return to screening machines and move passengers through faster. As of Sunday afternoon, Homan said he was still working out the precise plan with airport security officials. Former TSA administrator John Pistole told Axios that while there is no law mandating specific training requirements for checkpoint screeners, and the acting TSA administrator could technically designate ICE agents to fill those roles, that would not make it a good idea. Pistole also warned of a worst-case scenario in which an untrained screener misses a threat, and raised the risk of confrontations between ICE agents and travelers hostile to the agency. A TSA union steward in Atlanta, George Borek, told CNN the plan would not solve the underlying problem, saying untrained personnel at checkpoints "could be a problem."

Trump signals immigration arrests, with focus on Somalis While Homan framed the deployment primarily as operational support for TSA, Trump's own social media posts pointed to a broader immigration enforcement agenda. Trump wrote on Truth Social that ICE agents would carry out "the immediate arrest of all Illegal Immigrants" at airports, with what he described as a "heavy emphasis on those from Somalia." Homan did not rule out immigration enforcement at airports, telling CNN: „We do immigration enforcement at the airports all the time. So it's not going to change.” — Tom Homan via CNN State of the Union Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy told ABC that ICE agents are trained and can provide assistance for airport security, and accused Democrats of using long airport lines as political leverage. The dual framing — operational relief versus immigration crackdown — has deepened concerns among Democratic lawmakers. Senator Patty Murray of Washington posted on social media: "Oh yeah, I'm sure the next thing the American people want after long lines at TSA is to get wrongfully detained, beat up, and harassed by ICE."

Shutdown rooted in Minneapolis killings and five failed votes The partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security has now lasted five weeks, with the Senate rejecting DHS funding for the fifth time on Friday. 366 (TSA officers) — resigned since February 14 due to non-payment of salaries Unscheduled absences among remaining TSA staff have doubled, according to U.S. media reports. The political standoff traces directly to the fatal shooting of two U.S. citizens — Alex Pretti and Renée Nicole Good, both aged 37 — by federal officers in Minneapolis earlier in 2026, following the deployment of roughly 2,000 ICE agents to the city. Senate Democrats have refused to fund DHS without new guardrails on ICE, including requirements that agents wear identification and a ban on face coverings during operations. Republicans have rejected Democratic attempts to fund individual DHS components such as TSA, the Coast Guard, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency separately, insisting on a comprehensive funding package. ICE itself has continued to receive funding through appropriations approved under earlier legislation, meaning the shutdown has fallen disproportionately on TSA and other civilian-facing agencies.

The TSA was created following the September 11, 2001 attacks to improve airport security across the United States and operates under the Department of Homeland Security. ICE was also established in the post-September 11 reorganization of federal law enforcement. Tom Homan served as acting ICE director during Trump's first administration and was designated White House border czar ahead of Trump's second term beginning in January 2025. Homan was previously deployed to Minneapolis in January 2026 to lead on-the-ground immigration enforcement operations in the city.