ICE Deployed to U.S. Airports Amid TSA Shortages
Hundreds of ICE agents were sent to 14 airports to assist amid a partial DHS shutdown that left thousands of TSA staff unpaid and security lines hours long.
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Overview
Tom Homan said on Monday that hundreds of ICE agents had been deployed to 14 airports, including New York, Atlanta and Houston, to support airport operations.
The deployment addresses a partial government shutdown that began on 14 February and has left TSA employees unpaid, producing hours-long security lines at checkpoints.
Acting deputy TSA administrator Adam Stahl said ICE would perform 'non-specialised security functions' to free TSA agents, while civil-rights leaders criticized the move and over 100 airport leaders urged Congress to end the shutdown.
Figures showed more than 3,400 TSA agents called out on Sunday, with 42.3% absent at New Orleans and 41.5% at Hartsfield-Jackson.
Lawmakers remain deadlocked as Republicans rejected Democratic proposals to fund TSA separately and President Donald Trump urged Republicans not to accept a deal excluding ICE, and according to federal pay schedules TSA agents will miss a second paycheck on Friday.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame the deployment as a politicized, risky stopgap that heightens security and civil-rights concerns. they emphasize operational limits of ICE, spotlight illustrative quotes (eg. “fertile territory,” “what could possibly go wrong?”) and foreground experts, unions and civil-rights leaders warning about training gaps, safety and protests, producing a skeptical narrative.
FAQ
The SAVE America Act amends the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 to require documentary proof of U.S. citizenship, such as a REAL ID indicating citizenship, U.S. passport, or birth certificate, for voter registration in federal elections, and mandates photo ID for voting. It passed the U.S. House in February 2026.
President Trump is urging Republicans to withhold agreement on DHS funding unless Democrats accept the SAVE America Act, complicating Senate negotiations to end the 38-day partial DHS shutdown.[story]
Critics argue it imposes unnecessary barriers since noncitizen voting is rare and already illegal, affects millions without easy access to documents like passports or birth certificates (e.g., 146 million lack passports, married women face name issues), and could disenfranchise voters of color, youth, elderly, military, and disaster victims.[2]
ICE agents were deployed to 14 airports, including O'Hare (with about 75 expected), to assist amid the partial DHS shutdown as President Trump pushes his funding demands.[story]
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker said the deployment is 'causing chaos and instilling fear,' while Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson stated his office is using 'every tool' to protect travelers.[story]