Trump Threatens ICE Deployment to U.S. Airports Amid Deepening Funding Crisis

President Donald Trump threatened Saturday to deploy Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to staff airport security checkpoints as a month-long government shutdown causes historic travel delays and staffing shortages nationwide.

Writing on Truth Social from his West Palm Beach golf course, the president demanded that congressional Democrats immediately approve a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding bill. He warned that if a deal is not reached, he will "move our brilliant and patriotic ICE Agents to the Airports where they will do Security like no one has ever seen before."

The ultimatum follows a collapse in security operations at major transit hubs. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) reported that unscheduled absences reached 19% on Friday, more than quadruple the normal average. At New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport, call-out rates have spiked to 21% as screeners endure their fifth week without pay.

The staffing vacuum has forced several airports to consolidate security lanes, leading to wait times exceeding two hours in cities like Houston and Atlanta. Acting Deputy TSA Administrator Adam Stahl told Fox News that the agency has "fully depleted" its national deployment force. "It’s not hyperbole to suggest that we may have to quite literally shut down airports," Stahl said.

President Trump’s proposal to bridge this gap with immigration officers has drawn sharp criticism from security experts who note that ICE agents lack the technical training required for aviation screening. However, the president signaled that the deployment would serve a dual purpose, stating he would prioritise the "immediate arrest of all Illegal Immigrants" found at transit hubs.

In Washington, legislative progress remains stalled. Senate Democrats, led by Chuck Schumer, have proposed a standalone bill to fund the TSA, but Republicans have blocked the measure, insisting on a comprehensive DHS package that includes the administration's border enforcement priorities.

"This can’t continue," Senate Majority Leader John Thune told reporters. "I think we’re going to know today whether we’re actually serious about it." With no resolution in sight, airlines are bracing for further disruptions as an estimated 121 million passengers prepare for the spring travel season.