Trump Issues Warning of ICE Control Over Airport Security Amid Escalating Funding Crisis
US President Donald Trump warns of deploying ICE agents to airports as the lapse in DHS funding results in TSA workers being unpaid across the country.
US President Donald Trump has issued a warning about the potential deployment of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to enhance airport security if lawmakers do not come to a funding agreement for the Department of Homeland Security.
“I will relocate our exceptional and dedicated ICE agents to the airports, where they will provide security like never before,” Trump stated on Truth Social on Saturday, cautioning that this change could be implemented within days.
The Department of Homeland Security has been without funding since mid-February due to Congress’s inability to reach an agreement on a spending bill, resulting in increased pressure on standard airport security operations. A proposed measure aimed at funding the department and guaranteeing payment for Transportation Security Administration personnel did not progress in the Senate on Friday.
The administration has held Democrats responsible for the deadlock, alleging that they are withholding support unless reforms are implemented for ICE, which functions under DHS. The impasse has compelled thousands of TSA employees to persist in their duties without compensation for more than a month.
According to US media reports, over 300 TSA employees have reportedly resigned during this period, and there has been a notable increase in unscheduled absences. Long queues have formed at airports across the country, as union officials caution about escalating staffing shortages.
Johnny Jones, an official from the American Federation of Government Employees in Dallas, highlighted the increasing difficulties faced by staff members.
“Many employees have informed me that their bank accounts are either empty or in the negative,” Jones stated to USA Today, she added, “I have no funds for daycare or food.” They simply want to understand why they aren’t receiving payment while we have funds available to launch missiles into other nations.
Certain airports have started gathering food parcels and gift cards for impacted workers, whereas others indicate that employees are seeking second jobs to manage the financial pressure.
ICE has continued to play a pivotal role in Trump’s heightened immigration enforcement efforts, executing thousands of arrests since his return to office in January 2025. Nonetheless, its operations have faced ongoing criticism from Democrats, civil liberties organizations, and advocacy groups.
Trump announced that the deployment of ICE to airports would commence on Monday if Democrats do not approve what he referred to as “just and proper security” measures nationwide.
Although ICE operates under DHS, the agency has not been greatly impacted by the funding lapse, since Congress had earlier approved distinct funding for it. Nonetheless, ICE agents do not receive specialized training for airport security roles.
Democrats have persistently advocated for comprehensive reforms to ICE in the wake of the tragic deaths of two Minneapolis residents, Alex Pretti and Renee Good, who lost their lives at the hands of federal agents during protests against immigration raids in Minnesota in January.
