Trump orders ICE agents to assist US airport security during DHS funding shutdown
Consensus Summary
US President Donald Trump ordered Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to assist at US airports starting March 23, 2026, to alleviate security line congestion caused by a partial government shutdown. The shutdown, now in its 36th day, has left TSA and other DHS workers unpaid, with over 400 TSA agents quitting and others calling out sick. Trumpâs move follows Democratic demands for reforms in ICE operations after two American citizens were fatally shot by ICE agents in Minneapolis. ICE agents, not trained for airport security, will reportedly guard exits or check passenger IDs, freeing up TSA officers to screen passengers. The deployment comes amid ongoing Senate negotiations over DHS funding, with Democrats blocking measures until reforms are implemented. Tom Homan, Trumpâs border czar, is leading the effort, while Senate Democrats remain skeptical of the plan, citing past ICE conduct issues. The situation has caused significant travel disruptions, with long security lines at major airports like Atlanta and New York.
â Verified by 2+ sources
Key details reported by multiple sources:
- Donald Trump ordered Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to assist at US airports starting Monday, March 23, 2026, to ease security line congestion caused by a partial government shutdown.
- The partial government shutdown began on February 14, 2026, and has lasted 36 days as of March 2026, with TSA and other DHS workers going unpaid.
- More than 400 Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents have quit since the shutdown began, according to DHS and NBC News reports.
- ICE agents are not specifically trained for airport security, which is the domain of the TSA, as noted by multiple sources including ABC and The Guardian.
- The deployment of ICE agents follows a Democratic demand for reforms in ICE operations after two American citizens, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, were fatally shot by ICE agents in Minneapolis in January 2026.
- Senate Democrats have blocked funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) seeking reforms, including better identification for federal law enforcement officers and a new code of conduct for ICE.
- Tom Homan, Trumpâs border czar, was named to lead the effort to deploy ICE agents to airports and has met with bipartisan senators over the shutdown.
- TSA workers are set to miss their second full paycheck on March 27, 2026, due to the funding impasse.
- The Senate is considering the nomination of Senator Markwayne Mullin to be the next DHS secretary, with a vote expected by late Monday, March 23, 2026.
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- ICE agents may guard exit lanes or check passenger IDs at airports, according to ABCâs reporting on Tom Homanâs comments.
- The Senate convened a rare weekend session to advance the nomination of Senator Markwayne Mullin for DHS secretary, with a vote expected by late Monday.
- Blake Wilbanks, a 43-year-old traveler, waited two-and-a-half hours early for his flight at Atlantaâs Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport due to shutdown-related delays, per ABCâs reporting.
- Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy expressed concern about the uncertainty travelers face regarding wait times at airports, per ABCâs reporting.
- Donald Trumpâs Truth Social post on Saturday explicitly threatened to deploy ICE agents to airports if Democrats did not agree to measures aimed at strengthening security and immigration enforcement.
- Trumpâs post included xenophobic rhetoric about Somali immigrants, calling them âgarbageâ and claiming they had âtotally destroyedâ Minnesota, per The Guardianâs reporting.
- The Guardian reported that TSA workers could miss their second full paycheck next week, citing financial struggles as a reason for some TSA agents calling out sick or leaving the agency.
- The Guardian noted that USC 1357 permits arrests without a warrant âwithin a reasonable distance from any external boundary of the United Statesâ but questioned whether ICE has statutory authority to pick up non-US citizens within the country without a warrant.
- The Guardian reported that Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer spoke of âproductive conversationsâ during bipartisan talks with White House officials on Saturday.
- The Guardian highlighted that ICE agents have been deployed to multiple areas as part of the Trump administrationâs crackdown, including Minnesota, where the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti occurred.
Contradictions
Conflicting information between sources:
- ABC reports that ICE agents may guard exit lanes or check passenger IDs, while The Guardian does not specify these exact roles and focuses more on the broader deployment without detailed duties.
- The Guardian emphasizes Trumpâs xenophobic rhetoric about Somali immigrants in his posts, while ABC does not mention this specific detail about Trumpâs rhetoric.
- ABC reports that the Senate convened a rare weekend session to advance Mullinâs nomination, while The Guardian does not mention this specific detail about the timing of the Senate session.
- The Guardian states that USC 1357 permits arrests without a warrant âwithin a reasonable distance from any external boundary of the United States,â but ABC does not reference this specific legal code or its implications.
- The Guardian reports that Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer spoke of âproductive conversationsâ during bipartisan talks, while ABC does not mention this specific detail about the nature of the talks.
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