Trump Deploys Immigration Officers to Airports Amid Shutdown

Customs and Immigration Enforcement agents to assist TSA amid budget impasse and travel delays

Mar. 22, 2026 at 7:53pm

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President Donald Trump has ordered federal immigration agents to U.S. airports to help relieve security line congestion as a budget impasse has air travelers frustrated over hourslong waits and screeners angry about missed paychecks. The move comes as the partial government shutdown continues, with hundreds of thousands of homeland security workers, including from the TSA, U.S. Secret Service and Coast Guard, working without pay.

Why it matters

The deployment of immigration officers to airports raises concerns about the appropriate role of immigration enforcement at transportation hubs, as well as the potential for further disruption to air travel during an already chaotic time due to the government shutdown.

The details

Trump said on Sunday that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents will be sent to airports starting Monday to assist the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). The specific duties of the ICE agents have not been finalized, but could include guarding exit lanes or checking passenger IDs to free up TSA agents to focus on screening lines. ICE agents are already assigned to many airports for criminal investigations, and the administration sees them as a 'force multiplier' to address the long security lines caused by the shutdown.

  • On Sunday, Trump announced the plan to send ICE agents to airports starting on Monday.
  • The partial government shutdown, which has left hundreds of thousands of homeland security workers unpaid, began in late February.

The players

Donald Trump

The President of the United States who ordered the deployment of immigration officers to airports.

Tom Homan

The White House border czar named by Trump to lead the effort to send immigration officers to airports.

Hakeem Jeffries

The House Democratic leader who criticized the plan to deploy untrained ICE agents to airports.

Sean Duffy

The Transportation Secretary who expressed concerns about the uncertainty passengers are facing over possible wait times at airports.

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What they’re saying

“The last thing that the American people need are for untrained ICE agents to be deployed at airports all across the country.”

— Hakeem Jeffries, House Democratic leader

“We're going to be a force multiplier.”

— Tom Homan, White House border czar

“Do I have to come an hour and a half early? Do I have to come four hours early? They don't know until the day of or the afternoon of their flight. So if we can alleviate that, again, the president wants to take away that leverage point for Democrats and make travel easier for the American people.”

— Sean Duffy, Transportation Secretary

What’s next

The specific duties and number of ICE agents to be deployed to airports are still being finalized in discussions between ICE, TSA, and the White House. A plan is expected to be announced by the end of the day on Monday.

The takeaway

The deployment of immigration enforcement officers to airports during the government shutdown raises concerns about the appropriate role of these agents at transportation hubs, as well as the potential for further disruption to air travel. The move is seen as an effort by the Trump administration to pressure Democrats in the ongoing budget impasse, but it remains to be seen how effective and appropriate this strategy will be.