ICE agents sent to airports
Federal immigration agents have been deployed to support security at 14 U.S. airports amid a DHS partial shutdown, a move civil‑rights advocates and TSA experts warn could inflame tensions at transit hubs. The deployment comes as more than 400 TSA employees have resigned since the shutdown began, raising labor and safety concerns. ( )
White House border czar Tom Homan confirmed the administration would begin moving ICE officers into airports on Monday, March 23, 2026, following orders from President Donald Trump. (politico.com)) Reporting identified a roster of major hubs expected to receive agents that includes John F. Kennedy and LaGuardia in New York, Newark, Philadelphia, Chicago, Atlanta, New Orleans, Houston and Phoenix among others cited by national outlets. (newsweek.com)) Homan and administration officials described ICE roles as site security tasks — guarding entry/exit lanes and checking IDs so TSA could focus on screening — not conducting standard baggage or credential screening performed by certified TSA officers. (pbs.org)) The American Federation of Government Employees’ president Everett Kelley said ICE officers “are not trained or certified in aviation security,” while TSA veterans and former screeners told Government Executive the deployments have “no practical use” for checkpoint operations. (cnbc.com)) The ACLU issued a formal statement on March 22 opposing the airport deployments and urging safeguards and congressional oversight, and advocacy groups flagged administration comments singling out Somali travelers as heightening risks of targeted enforcement. (aclu.org)) Lawmakers remain split over DHS funding remedies that precipitated the shutdown, with Senate Democrats pressing for reforms — including mandatory body cameras, visible identification and stricter judicial-warrant requirements for ICE — as central conditions in negotiations. (pbs.org))
