ICE Agents No Longer Stationed at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport

Homeland Security shutdown leads to removal of immigration officers from airport security checkpoints.

Apr. 10, 2026 at 10:18pm

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U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers have been pulled out of Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, weeks after the Trump administration deployed them to more than a dozen airports across the country to help ease long security checkpoint lines during the ongoing partial government shutdown. An airport spokesperson confirmed ICE's departure as of April 6, 2026.

Why it matters

The presence of ICE officers at Sky Harbor generated mixed reactions, with some travelers praising the effort to reduce wait times but others expressing concerns that their presence could sow fear and distrust among immigrant workers and travelers. Civil rights groups also warned that ICE officers were not trained to be security screeners.

The details

The Trump administration had sent ICE agents to Sky Harbor and other airports to help manage long lines and backfill for short-staffed Transportation Security Administration (TSA) personnel, who had been working without pay since February 14 amid the partial government shutdown. However, the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE, would not confirm the officers' departure, citing 'operational reasons'.

  • ICE officers were no longer at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport as of Monday, April 6, 2026.
  • The partial government shutdown that triggered the ICE deployment began on February 14, 2026.

The players

Jon Brodsky

A spokesperson for Sky Harbor International Airport.

Lucia Salinas

A 46-year-old Phoenix resident and member of UniteHere Local 11, a labor union representing hospitality workers at Sky Harbor. Salinas is an immigrant from Mexico who became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 2010.

Mari Yepez

The lead organizer with UniteHere Local 11, the labor union representing about 1,400 hospitality workers at Sky Harbor.

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What they’re saying

“It's great that ICE is no longer at Sky Harbor and puts our members back at ease, and I'm sure the general public.”

— Mari Yepez, Lead organizer, UniteHere Local 11

“If they approach me, I'll get nervous and probably I'll be scared too because I don't know what they're going to ask me.”

— Lucia Salinas, Hospitality worker, UniteHere Local 11

What’s next

The labor union representing hospitality workers at Sky Harbor is hoping employers agree to invoke health and safety protections in case ICE officers return to the airport 'to give our members protection'.

The takeaway

The removal of ICE officers from Sky Harbor Airport highlights the ongoing tensions and concerns surrounding the presence of immigration enforcement at transportation hubs, where many travelers and workers feel unsafe and distrustful of their purpose. This incident underscores the need for clear policies and training to ensure airport security measures do not inadvertently sow fear and discrimination.