Trump says he’s sending federal immigration agents to airports on Monday amid DHS shutdown

Trump Threatens Deployment of Federal Immigration Agents to Airports Amid DHS Funding Crisis

President Donald Trump announced on Saturday that he plans to deploy U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers to airports nationwide by Monday. The move follows a political deadlock between Senate Republicans and Democrats over Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding. In a post on Truth Social, Trump emphasized that ICE would enforce security measures more effectively than current efforts, stating, “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!”

Earlier in the day, Trump reiterated his stance, warning that without a swift agreement, he would send ICE agents to airports. “If the Radical Left Democrats don’t immediately sign an agreement to let our Country, in particular, our Airports, be FREE and SAFE again, I will move our brilliant and patriotic ICE Agents to the Airports where they will do Security like no one has ever seen before,” he declared. This comes as Senate Republicans blocked a Democratic attempt to pass a standalone TSA funding bill with a 41-49 vote.

“Today, Senate Republicans voted against paying TSA agents because they insist on tying TSA funding to their push to give even more money to ICE — without basic reforms,” said Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., a leading Democratic negotiator. “That is not how this should work — and it is just plain wrong that Republicans are preventing TSA agents from getting paid while airport lines grow longer across the country.”

The partial shutdown of DHS, which began in mid-February, has left TSA officers unpaid, resulting in mass resignations and extended security lines. In contrast, ICE remains unaffected due to $75 billion in additional funds from the 2022 legislative package, which Trump signed into law. This financial support allows ICE to operate independently during the funding stalemate.

The dispute intensified after two Americans were fatally shot in Minnesota during a January immigration enforcement operation. Democrats had previously vowed to extend the shutdown until Republicans agreed to reforms like requiring ICE agents to wear identification and prohibit face coverings. Despite this, the standoff continues, with bipartisan negotiators working to resolve the crisis. A key meeting between Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, and senators was postponed Saturday, according to multiple sources.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., criticized Democrats for the worsening airport security situation, stating, “The situation at U.S. airports continues to worsen thanks to Democrats’ refusal to fund the Department of Homeland Security. Thousands of Homeland Security employees have been working without pay for more than a month.” Meanwhile, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., noted on the Senate floor, “It is unacceptable for workers and travelers in entire airports to get taken”