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ICE agents to deploy to U.S. airports Monday to help TSA

Mar 22nd 2026 · United States

White House border czar Tom Homan said Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers will help ease long TSA security lines at select U.S. airports on Monday by performing non-screening tasks while details are finalized.

  • ICE agents will be deployed to select U.S. airports on Monday to assist TSA with non-screening duties, including guarding exit doors, White House border czar Tom Homan said.
  • The move responds to staffing shortages and long TSA lines after a Department of Homeland Security funding lapse that began on February 14.
  • More than 400 TSA officers have left since the shutdown began, contributing to delays, according to NBC News.
  • Homan said details on which airports and exact tasks would be finalized by Monday morning.
  • The American Federation of Government Employees warned that ICE officers are not trained for aviation security and said their use could create gaps in screening.
  • House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries and other Democrats oppose deploying ICE at airports and are demanding immigration enforcement reforms in exchange for DHS funding.
  • Some Republicans, including Senators Ted Cruz and John Kennedy, have proposed separating ICE and Customs and Border Protection funding from the rest of DHS to expedite funding for other agencies.

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