Trump Threatens ICE Deployment to Airports Amid DHS Funding Crisis

Mar 22, 2026, 2:27 AM

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President Trump threatened on Saturday to deploy Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to airports across the United States starting Monday if Democrats do not agree to measures aimed at strengthening security and immigration enforcement.

In a series of posts on Truth Social, Trump stated, "If the Radical Left Democrats don't immediately sign an agreement to let our Country, in particular, our Airports, be FREE and SAFE again, I will move our brilliant and patriotic ICE Agents to the Airports." He emphasized that these agents would handle security differently, promising "the immediate arrest of all Illegal Immigrants who have come into our Country." Trump specifically mentioned a focus on immigrants from Somalia, which he has criticized in the past.

This announcement comes amid a standoff between Senate Republicans and Democrats over funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which has been partially shut down since mid-February. Recent legislative attempts to pass funding bills for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) have failed, further exacerbating staffing shortages and long security lines at airports.

Senate Democrats blocked a Republican effort to fund DHS in a vote that reflected ongoing partisan tensions. Senator Patty Murray, a key negotiator for the Democrats, criticized Republicans for linking TSA funding to additional resources for ICE without addressing their demands for reforms in immigration enforcement.

The situation has led to significant operational challenges at airports. Reports indicate that TSA workers are missing paychecks, prompting many to call out sick or leave their positions altogether. The DHS noted that over 300 TSA employees have quit since the shutdown began, contributing to increasingly longer wait times for passengers.

Travelers have expressed frustration over the chaos at airports, with wait times stretching into hours in some locations. For instance, passengers at Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport experienced wait times exceeding 120 minutes, while Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson reported similar delays.

Trump's proposal to utilize ICE for airport security has sparked mixed reactions. Some travelers believe it could help alleviate the situation, while others worry that it could worsen the experience for passengers by introducing a different set of challenges.

Amidst this backdrop, negotiations in Congress continue, although progress appears slow. Bipartisan discussions have been taking place, with Senate leaders urging for a swift resolution to the standoff before the situation deteriorates further.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune has criticized Democrats for the ongoing delays and stressed the need for a compromise to ensure that TSA workers are paid and operational issues at airports are addressed promptly.

As the deadline approaches for the proposed deployment of ICE agents, all eyes remain on Congress to see if a funding deal can be reached that satisfies both parties and restores normalcy to airport operations across the country.

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