With the current partial government shutdown, many federal workers aren’t receiving paychecks. This includes TSA officers, and that’s leading to an increasing number of sick calls, which has meant longer lines at security. Some airports have even seen over 50% of TSA agents call in sick on some days.
Past government shutdowns have sometimes ultimately ended because of the impacts on our aviation ecosystem. Along those lines, a couple of days ago, President Trump suggested he’s going to do something that’s sure to be controversial. We’re now starting to learn more details about what this will look like…
Trump sends ICE agents to “help” at airports
On the evening of Saturday, March 21, 2026, Trump took to social media to write the following:
The Radical Left Democrats have hurt so many people with their vicious and uncaring ways. What they have done to the Department of Homeland Security, our fantastic TSA Officers, and, most importantly, the great people of our Country, is an absolute disgrace. If the Democrats do not allow for Just and Proper Security at our Airports, and elsewhere throughout our Country, ICE will do the job far better than ever done before! The Fascist Democrats will never protect America, but the Republicans will. Just like the Radical Left allowed millions of Criminals to pour into our Country through their ridiculous and dangerous Open Border Policy, the Republicans closed it all down, and we now have the Strongest Border in American History. Likewise, I look forward to moving ICE in on Monday, and have already told them to, “GET READY.” NO MORE WAITING, NO MORE GAMES! President DONALD J. TRUMP
So yeah, starting today, ICE will work at TSA checkpoints, and they’ll “do the job far better than ever done before!” At least that’s Trump’s claim. It’s not yet clear if ICE agents working at airports will be allowed to wear masks or not, and if they’ll be required to identify themselves.
The union representing TSA agents has slammed this concept:
“More than 50,000 TSA employees have worked without pay for over five weeks. Hundreds have quit. And Washington’s answer isn’t to pay them. It’s to send ICE agents to do their jobs.
“ICE agents are not trained or certified in aviation security. TSA officers spend months learning to detect explosives, weapons, and threats specifically designed to evade detection at checkpoints — skills that require specialized instruction, hands-on practice, and ongoing recertification. You cannot improvise that. Putting untrained personnel at security checkpoints does not fill a gap. It creates one.”
“Our members at TSA have been showing up every day, without a paycheck, because they believe in the mission of keeping the flying public safe. They deserve to be paid, not replaced by untrained, armed agents who have shown how dangerous they can be.”
“Congress has the power to fund TSA today. It’s time for them to stop playing politics and do their jobs.”
White House Border Czar clarifies Trump’s plans
On Sunday, March 22, 2026, White House Border Czar Tom Homan appeared on CNN to explain more about what the plan is for staffing ICE agents at airports:
- Homan suggests that ICE agents will indeed start working at airports today, and on Sunday he was working on the plan
- Homan claims that ICE agents are highly qualified to perform airport security, though they likely won’t be screening bags or passengers, but instead, will be sitting at exits and performing similar functions, to alleviate TSA agents, and allow them to focus on screening passengers
- It’s not yet known how many ICE agents will be deployed to airports, but expect them to be at the airports that have seen the highest number of TSA officers call in sick
- I love the question of “with respect, if you’re doing this all in 24 hours, how well thought out could it be?”
This is all so amazing in the context of Trump’s claim that “ICE will do the job far better than ever done before.” Indeed, they’ll guard those exits and maybe check IDs like no one has ever done before. This man’s level of hyperbole is unrivaled. Hopefully they don’t get distracted by non-white people, or people speaking different languages…
Interestingly, this does indeed seem to be happening as of today, and there are already some pictures of ICE agents at TSA checkpoints. However, it looks like they’re shadowing TSA agents for now, rather than actually performing any duties.
Bottom line
President Trump is deploying ICE agents to TSA checkpoints as of today, and claims that they’ll do a better job than has ever been done before. But the White House Border Czar also claims that they’ll just be guarding exits and performing similar tasks that require minimal training. I’m sure many people will appreciate the opportunity to “thank” ICE agents for their “service.”
Are you excited to see ICE agents working as TSA officers?