Even as TSA workers are finally set to be paid again, the presence of ICE agents at U.S. airports may not be going away.
ICE Agents May Stay At Airports Even After TSA Workers Are Paid
Even as the Trump administration moves to restore pay for TSA workers, it appears that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents may not be leaving airports anytime soon.
According to comments from White House border czar Tom Homan, ICE personnel deployed to assist at airport security checkpoints could remain in place well beyond the immediate crisis.
“We’re going to continue an ICE presence there… until the airports feel like they’re in 100% normal operations.”
Pressed on whether ICE agents would leave once TSA officers are paid again, Homan’s answer was telling: “We’ll see.”
ICE agents were initially deployed as a stopgap measure during the Department of Homeland Security funding lapse, which left TSA officers working without pay and triggered widespread staffing shortages. At the height of the disruption, hundreds of TSA workers quit and thousands more called out, leading to hours-long security lines across the country.
ICE agents were brought in to help with basic functions like ID checks, crowd control, and exit lane monitoring, freeing up TSA officers to focus on screening duties. That was always framed as temporary, but now it looks less temporary.
Paying TSA Does Not Immediately Solve The Underlying Problem
Even if TSA workers begin receiving pay again today, the operational damage has already been done.
Nearly 500 officers have quit, and replacing them is not quick. Training a new TSA officer takes several weeks, which means staffing shortages are likely to persist well beyond the current crisis.
That gives the administration a straightforward argument: airports are not back to normal, so ICE stays.
While I understand that logic, it does raise the question of whether this “temporary workaround” was never intended to be temporary. ICE is a law enforcement body focused on immigration enforcement, not transportation security.
Even if agents are only assisting with non-screening roles, their presence at airport checkpoints changes the feel of the environment and raises questions about how far that role could expand. It’s not unreasonable to wonder whether travelers will eventually be subjected to citizenship checks or other tests of legal status.
For now, just mark this as developing.
CONCLUSION
Restoring pay to TSA workers was always the first step toward stabilizing airport operations, and workers should be paid as early as today thanks to an executive order from President Trump.
Meanwhile, if ICE agents remain at airports beyond the immediate crisis, this story shifts from a temporary response to a more fundamental change in how airport security is staffed. For now, the official line is that ICE will stay until operations return to normal. The open question is how long that actually takes, and whether “temporary” does not actually mean temporary.
image: Megan Greenwell/Bluesky
The insult and smart arsed comment about their mothers picking them up against younger workers was unwarranted. ICE, like our amazing armed services, recruit and hire 18 year olds who work tirelessly to defend our country while risking their lives.
Not every youth goes to college and ICE providing opportunities for them is a good thing for many. They are civil servants even if you don’t agree with their leadership. Beats the hell out of what I was doing in my 20’s as an aimless youth.
No insult from me. I thought it was funny. Hats off to young people who have their acts together.
Lighten up, Francis.
At the very least Matthew should have gotten their parent’s permission to use this photo. 🙂
Settle down, Kyle, it was a light-hearted jibe and yes, it was funny. MAGA acolytes reserve to right to poke fun at whosoever they please, but even the mildest attempt at humour going back the other way invokes howls of indignance. As a group you’re the biggest bunch of glass-jawed vulnerable narcissists since the trans activist extremists.
Haha Kyle is a bootlicking scumbag.
On one hand, it is more efficient to have federal law enforcement at the airports.
Currently, if TSA finds something unrelated to aircraft security but it otherwise illegal, they have to call law enforcement, which takes time for the response. Now, ICE can immediately make the arrest if illegal drugs, etc are found
Is this right-wing Canadian Derek, or a different one? Either way, it’s a little more nuanced than that, but ok.
Like, there’s usually airport police already at most airports (in additional to TSA, which, technically are not sworn law enforcement officers, so you are correct, mere bag scanners cannot legally make arrests.)
On the other hand, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents are supposed to be highly-trained federal investigators, so to have a bunch of them just sitting around at all airports (mostly twiddling their thumbs) waiting for an occasional baggie of drugs to show up on a scanner and ‘quickly’ arrest some random dude, is a bad use of resources. But, hey, if it fits your partisan narrative, who cares about resources anyway…
Then, there’s a jurisdiction issue. A lot of airports are gonna ave local or state police. So, that inter-agency squabble makes it more ‘fun.’ Then, take airports like LGA, JFK, EWR with multiple states (NY/NJ) involved in agencies like the Port Authority. Oof. But, sure, ignore all that noise, get those baddies!
It’s pretty insulting that ICE’s abuse of law and power is one of the main reasons for this shutdown; TSA doesn’t get paid, but has to still work; ICE does get paid, doesn’t really assist TSA, and is basically there to enflame the situation. We really should never allow Presidents or political parties to operate their own paramilitaries on US soil… because that’s what this seems to becoming.
It is mind-numbing how many people oppose ICE being on the streets but screech when they are in a public setting largely doing customer-focused work.
There is no evidence that ICE will take a law enforceemnt role at airports but, even if they do, I am no more concerned about ICE at airports than I am the local police driving down a local road behind me.
Nice strawman, Tim.
“how many people oppose ICE being on the streets” … uh, that’s not the issue. At all.
These were the ‘demands’ from Democrats during the recent/on-going shutdown:
Transparency and Identification: Prohibiting ICE agents from wearing masks during operations and requiring the use of body cameras and visible identification.
Warrant Requirements: Mandating judicial warrants for arrests and entry into private property, rather than administrative warrants.
Enforcement Restrictions: Banning enforcement actions at “sensitive locations” such as schools, churches, and hospitals.
Independent Oversight: Establishing independent investigations into agent misconduct and creating a robust oversight body with subpoena power.
Prioritization: Codifying enforcement priorities to focus on individuals with violent criminal convictions rather than law-abiding families or those with minor status issues.
“Piecemeal” Funding: Reopening and funding other DHS agencies (like the TSA, Coast Guard, and FEMA) immediately while continuing to withhold funding from ICE until these reforms are met.
I mean, Tim, those are fairly common-sense, and should be something everyone could agree on. Instead, I assume, you (and the others) are gonna do more and more strawmen… ‘OPEN BORDERS!’ for instance.
1. stop doxxing ice agents and no masks are needed (besides, your side was dogmatic about masks when it suited your agenda)
2. Judicial warrants have never been required for illegals. They ARE criminals just by being here in the country without permission
3. So, we cannot arrest criminals where they are at? That is the single dumbest thing written (bit not a surprise for a lib as much of what they say makes zero sense)
4. Any illegal is subject to removal. By saying only going after violent criminals, you have de facto given illegal aliens permanent resident status
5. Ice is already funded. Again shows how ignorant the left is. Funding will not be cut to ice, however.
thank you, Derek
Alot of people struggle to admit that open borders were largely objected to by Americans and that was a key factor in the 2024 election.
The coutcome of how you handle all of the illegals in the US is the issue. There have been far more people self-deport than the US could remove.
As long as one side believes that existing laws shouldn’t be enforced, then it is not a surprise that there will be huge objectives to the very existence of an organization that enforces a part of US law that some heartily ignored just 18 months ago. and the outcome of the Minneapolis events is that more and more local law enforcement is working w/ ICE which eliminates the need for ICE to be on the streets in the first place.
I am happy to see them in airports because it means they aren’t needed elsewhere. I would be even happier to see the ICE workforce reduced not because I opposse what they do but because they have achieved the surge that was necessary and local and state law enforcement is working together w/ the feds with America being safer as a result.
and it still doesn’t change that TSA operations are not going to return to normal everywhere tomorrow.
@Derek,
2. Yes, illegal aliens are arrestable and deportable as-is. But ICE breaking into someone’s home needs a warrant – you know, the 4th amendment?
The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.
Why does the 4th amendment exist? Because the police get things wrong too often, and the British used to use general warrants allowing the arrest/seizure of anything/anybody.
3. You can arrest criminals where they are at, provided that there is reasonable and probable cause that this individual committed a crime. ICE routinely gets this wrong.
https://apnews.com/article/minnesota-immigration-us-citizen-detained-hmong-d009590a491c0c8243ef21ef24db7182
4. There are a lot of illegal aliens out there (and a lot of crime committed by citizens). Law enforcement routinely prioritizes some crimes (murder, kidnapping, etc.) over others. Aside from residing & working in the USA illegally, a lot of the illegal aliens are otherwise decent people trying to earn a living – should these individuals be the priority?
Yes, Jason, anyone here illegally should be a priority for removal
We cannot reward illegals with a green card, which is what those who say they should be allowed to stay are doing
They’re in a public place and are subject to being photographed by members of the public. You’re inferring that these agents are entitled to an extraordinary right to privacy not enjoyed by ordinary citizens, but they do not. Only the worst kinds of states have secret police. Still, it’s telling to see how many people are willing to let the United States slowly morph into North Korea while repeating the same tired old tropes about how the Mad Orange God King is fighting tirelessly for “freedom”. Where will you people finally draw the line? When they come to install 1984-style telescreens in every room of your house? Or will you step aside and welcome them in with a smile, because you “have nothing to hide”?
Thanks everyone for proving my earlier point:
“Instead, I assume, you (and the others) are gonna do more and more strawmen…”
Derek and Tim proceeded to do exactly that. *sigh*
The problem with ICE is the underhanded way that they operate. The amount of secrecy is unnecessary and I interpret it as intimidation. Why not share the data on the amount of arrests and deportations? In my hometown they purchased an 825,000 sq. foot facility using a holding company to hide the DHS/ICE as owners. Why? If anyone thinks that is okay then put in your backyard. I am angry and feel ICE cannot be trusted or taken for their word. They don’t belong in the airport.
At least, those Gestapo children have the decency to show their faces.
Unlike most of those cowards.
This is fantastic news. Since all passengers names are run through APIS (Advanced Passenger Info System) ICE can easily identify those passengers who are not allowed to be in the US or have final orders of deportation. This makes it quick and easy to pick them up in a controlled environment and ship them home. Bonus: they are already in the airport! Maybe offer them the option of the next flight home!
“It’s not unreasonable to wonder whether travelers will eventually be subjected to citizenship checks”
It is unreasonable because this isn’t permissible under the 4th amendment. ICE may choose to ignore this and illegally detain/delay people, but even the current supreme court would probably rule 8-0 in defense of the 4th.
SCOTUS already ruled that police can ask about a person’s citizenship
The brownshirts will never leave.
Nobody is president forever, and Cadet Bone-Spurs looks ready to drop off the perch any day now. Let’s all hope that nature takes its course sooner rather than later.
Having people who are completely untrained in airport security and are used to simply grabbing or shooting lawbreakers sounds like a great idea. What could possibly go wrong?
those agents can detain me any day!