Federal immigration agents newly ordered to U.S. airports by President Donald Trump to help relieve security line congestion may guard exit lanes or check passenger IDs as a budget impasse has air travelers frustrated over hours-long waits and screeners angry about missed paychecks. Trump made clear on Sunday, a day after saying he would use immigration officers for airport security starting Monday unless Democrats agreed on a bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), that he was going ahead with the plan to assist the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).
Hundreds of thousands of homeland security workers, including from the TSA, U.S. Secret Service, and Coast Guard, have worked without pay since Congress failed to renew DHS funding last month. Meanwhile, Democrats are demanding major changes in the conduct of federal immigration agents and are showing no sign of backing down.
White House border czar Tom Homan, named by Trump to lead this effort, has also been meeting with a bipartisan group of senators in recent days over the partial shutdown. Homan characterized those sessions as “good conversations” but reiterated that no total agreement had been reached yet.
As a part of this initiative, Homan stated that the priority is large airports where delays are significant. He noted that the exact roles and number of ICE agents assigned are still being discussed with TSA leadership. These agents could fulfill roles such as monitoring exits and checking IDs, allowing TSA staff to focus more on screening processes.
Critics, including House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries, have expressed concerns about the deployment of untrained ICE agents at airports, questioning their role in handling sensitive security procedures. Meanwhile, travelers report anxiety due to inconsistencies in wait times, with some airports experiencing exceptionally long lines.
As the situation develops, the interplay between federal immigration enforcement and airport security remains a topic of intense debate.
Hundreds of thousands of homeland security workers, including from the TSA, U.S. Secret Service, and Coast Guard, have worked without pay since Congress failed to renew DHS funding last month. Meanwhile, Democrats are demanding major changes in the conduct of federal immigration agents and are showing no sign of backing down.
White House border czar Tom Homan, named by Trump to lead this effort, has also been meeting with a bipartisan group of senators in recent days over the partial shutdown. Homan characterized those sessions as “good conversations” but reiterated that no total agreement had been reached yet.
As a part of this initiative, Homan stated that the priority is large airports where delays are significant. He noted that the exact roles and number of ICE agents assigned are still being discussed with TSA leadership. These agents could fulfill roles such as monitoring exits and checking IDs, allowing TSA staff to focus more on screening processes.
Critics, including House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries, have expressed concerns about the deployment of untrained ICE agents at airports, questioning their role in handling sensitive security procedures. Meanwhile, travelers report anxiety due to inconsistencies in wait times, with some airports experiencing exceptionally long lines.
As the situation develops, the interplay between federal immigration enforcement and airport security remains a topic of intense debate.
