ICE Officers May Stay at US Airports After TSA Workers Get Paychecks

Border Czar says ICE agents are 'plugging the security holes' at airports during TSA worker shortage

Mar. 29, 2026 at 9:09pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A serene, photorealistic painting depicting an ICE officer standing alone at the entrance of an airport terminal, the scene bathed in warm, golden light and deep shadows, conveying a sense of quiet tension and the complex intersection of immigration policy and transportation security.The expanded presence of immigration enforcement at US airports raises concerns about the blurring of responsibilities between federal agencies.NYC Today

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers deployed to airports across the country to assist the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) amid a worker shortage may continue to hold their positions even after TSA workers receive their paychecks, according to the White House's Border Czar Tom Homan.

Why it matters

The deployment of ICE officers to airports has raised concerns about the expanded role of immigration enforcement at transportation hubs, as well as questions about the long-term implications for airport security and the division of responsibilities between different federal agencies.

The details

Homan told CNN that whether or not ICE officers leave the airports depends on how many TSA officials return to work after receiving their paychecks. He said the ICE officers are 'plugging the security holes' by checking IDs, controlling crowds, and verifying identification, which allows TSA agents to focus on the main screening process. However, Homan acknowledged that ICE officers are not trained to operate the X-ray machines or make decisions about secondary screening.

  • On March 23, President Donald Trump initially deployed ICE officers to airports across the U.S. to help alleviate wait times amid the TSA worker shortage and partial government shutdown.
  • On March 25, the Department of Homeland Security's acting assistant secretary for public affairs confirmed that ICE officers were guarding entrances and exits, assisting with logistics, doing crowd control, and verifying identification at airports.
  • On March 29, Homan appeared on CNN's 'State of the Union' and said TSA workers could see paychecks 'hopefully by tomorrow or Tuesday' after over a month without pay during the partial government shutdown.

The players

Tom Homan

The White House's Border Czar, who oversees the deployment of ICE officers to airports.

Donald Trump

The President of the United States, who initially deployed ICE officers to airports across the country.

Lauren Bis

The Department of Homeland Security's acting assistant secretary for public affairs, who confirmed the role of ICE officers at airports.

Chuck Schumer

The Senate Minority Leader, who declared that the House's stopgap funding bill for the Department of Homeland Security was 'dead on arrival' without Democratic support.

Markwayne Mullin

The Homeland Security Secretary, who began the process of paying TSA workers as soon as Trump signed the memo to redirect funds.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“I'm working very closely with TSA administrator and the ICE Director to decide what airport needs what, but you know, God bless men and women of ICE. They're plugging those holes, they're keeping the security at the airport at a high level.”

— Tom Homan, White House Border Czar

“We're not going to have an ICE officer looking at X-ray images, deciding what bags need to be secondary. That's a high level of training. But we can check IDs before they get to that machine, we can cover exits to make sure that people don't enter through the exit. That takes that TSA agent off that security line and (puts) him on the X-ray machine. We're plugging other security holes. We want to keep the airport safe, so we're doing the job TSA is asking us to do so their officers can get back to main screening.”

— Tom Homan, White House Border Czar

“The legislation is already 'dead on arrival,' without Democratic support, Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-New York, declared earlier in the day, meaning it has virtually no chance of becoming law because it doesn't have enough votes to pass in the Senate.”

— Chuck Schumer, Senate Minority Leader

What’s next

The Department of Homeland Security and Congress will continue to negotiate a long-term funding solution to keep the agency fully operational, including determining the ongoing role of ICE officers at airports.

The takeaway

The deployment of ICE officers to airports during the TSA worker shortage highlights the complex interplay between immigration enforcement, transportation security, and the political divisions in Congress over funding the Department of Homeland Security. As the situation evolves, there will be ongoing debates over the appropriate scope and boundaries of ICE's involvement in airport operations.