ICE officers will deploy to American airports to assist with certain security protocols beginning Monday, the Trump administration confirmed.
In an interview Sunday morning, Border Czar Tom Homan said the administration was finalizing plans to send U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers to backstop the TSA in an effort to relieve security checkpoint wait times.
“We’ll put together a plan today and we’ll execute tomorrow,” Homan said during an appearance on CNN’s State of the Union.
The move came amid widespread backups at TSA checkpoints across the country, more than five weeks into a partial government shutdown.
But the decision to augment TSA officers with ICE personnel was sure to be highly controversial on Capitol Hill and beyond.
Read more: TPG’s tips for navigating TSA during the shutdown
Funding for ICE has been the central dispute in the shutdown of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, which began well over a month ago on Feb. 14.
Since DHS oversees TSA (among other agencies), the ongoing stalemate in Washington has forced airport security officers to report to work without pay ever since, leading to a surge in TSA call-outs and resignations — and escalating checkpoint wait times.
What will ICE be doing at airports?
As of early Sunday afternoon, it wasn’t yet clear how many ICE agents would be sent to airports, or which major hubs could see immigration officers Monday — though administration officials said airports that have seen the longest lines would likely be prioritized.
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Speaking on CNN, Homan said ICE agents would likely focus on logistical roles at airports typically performed by TSA officers — not screening baggage or passengers. He specifically posed the idea of immigration officers watching over exits to the secure side of airport terminals, which are typically guarded by TSA staff.
“Stuff like that relieves that TSA officer to go to screening and to reduce those lines,” Homan said. “I don’t see an ICE agent looking at an X-ray machine, because they’re not trained in that.”
How the travel sector is reacting
After President Donald Trump first floated the idea of sending ICE agents to airports on Saturday, the travel sector began to react to the news.
In a post Saturday night, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) said it was “aware” of the talks.
“We are communicating with federal partners and monitoring the situation,” the airports said.
Meanwhile, union representing TSA officers immediately slammed the decision.
“ICE agents are not trained or certified in aviation security,” Everett Kelley, president of the American Federation of Government Employees, said in a statement issued Sunday afternoon. “Putting untrained personnel at security checkpoints does not fill a gap. It creates one.”
A trade group for the largest U.S. airlines did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
This is a developing story. Check back for further updates