WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump has threatened to deploy Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to U.S. airports as a standoff with congressional Democrats over Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding continues into its fifth week, disrupting airport operations nationwide.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said that if Democrats do not agree to a funding deal, he would move ICE agents into airports to “do security like no one has ever seen before.” (RELATED: TSA Official Warns Some Airports Could Completely Close As DHS Shutdown Drags On)
As the New York Post reports:
The president added that ICE agents would also beef up security against illegal immigrants “with heavy emphasis on those from Somalia, who have totally destroyed, with the approval of a corrupt Governor, Attorney General, and Congresswoman, Ilhan Omar, the once Great State of Minnesota.”
Trump’s threats come as the partial shutdown enters its 35th day — leaving roughly 50,000 TSA agents to work without pay.
Thousands of others have called in sick since Feb. 14, and at least 376 have quit their jobs altogether.
Before noon on Saturday, there were already 1,910 reported flight delays in and out of the US, and another 110 cancellations due to the madness, FlightAware data shows.
Airports across the country have already experienced significant disruption:
- Long security lines stretching up to two hours
- Nearly 2,000 flight delays and over 100 cancellations in a single day
- Rising concerns that smaller airports could be forced to shut down if staffing shortages worsen
Trump has framed the potential deployment of ICE agents as a way to restore order and security during the crisis. He also indicated the agents could make “immediate arrests” of illegal immigrants at airports, raising additional concerns about how such a move would be carried out.
The funding impasse centers on Democratic demands for new limits and oversight on immigration enforcement, including restrictions on ICE tactics. Republicans and the White House have rejected those conditions, arguing they would undermine enforcement efforts. (RELATED: Democrat Admits Government Shutdown Is To Force Defunding Of ICE)
The prolonged standoff is placing increasing strain on airport security infrastructure. TSA workers — considered essential — are required to continue working without pay, but absentee rates have surged as the partial shutdown continues.
Trump’s proposal to use ICE agents in airport security roles marks a significant escalation in the dispute and underscores the broader clash over immigration policy that has driven the shutdown.
For now, negotiations remain stalled, leaving both airport operations and federal workers in limbo as pressure builds on lawmakers to reach a deal.
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