Trump Proposes Illegal ICE Takeover of Airport Security

President's plan to address TSA staffing shortages during shutdown is not legally viable and would weaken airport security.

Mar. 21, 2026 at 9:04pm

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President Trump has suggested that ICE agents could take over airport security checkpoint duties starting Monday to address long security lines caused by Transportation Security Administration (TSA) staffing shortages during the partial government shutdown. However, experts say this plan is not legal, as federal law requires TSA personnel to supervise all airport screening, and ICE agents do not meet the minimum training requirements to perform checkpoint duties.

Why it matters

Replacing trained TSA screeners with ICE agents would weaken airport security and do little to solve the underlying staffing and training issues causing the long lines. It would also divert a significant portion of ICE's resources away from border enforcement, which is the agency's primary mission.

The details

Federal law mandates that all airport screening must be supervised by uniformed TSA personnel who meet minimum training requirements of at least 40 hours of classroom instruction. ICE agents do not have this specialized training and cannot legally perform checkpoint duties, even in an emergency. With TSA experiencing absence rates up to 50% at some airports, replacing 4,000 or more screeners would be an enormous logistical challenge that ICE is not equipped to handle.

  • On Monday, March 25, 2026, President Trump says ICE will take over airport security checkpoints.

The players

President Trump

The President of the United States who has proposed having ICE agents take over airport security duties from the TSA.

Transportation Security Administration (TSA)

The federal agency responsible for airport security screening, which is facing staffing shortages due to the partial government shutdown.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

The federal law enforcement agency that President Trump wants to deploy to airports, despite ICE agents lacking the specialized training required to perform checkpoint screening duties.

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What they’re saying

“ICE will do the job far better than ever done before! ...I look forward to moving ICE in on Monday”

— President Trump

What’s next

The legality and feasibility of President Trump's proposal to have ICE agents take over airport security checkpoints is likely to face significant scrutiny and opposition from lawmakers and aviation security experts.

The takeaway

Replacing trained TSA personnel with ICE agents, who lack the required screening training and qualifications, would be an illegal and counterproductive move that would weaken airport security rather than solve the underlying staffing issues caused by the government shutdown.