By: Janessa Castro Cruz

Airports around the country are very busy, with long lines that stretch for hours and travelers missing flights. TSA workers are calling in sick or just quitting all together. In response to all that, on March 23, 2026, the Trump administration deployed ICE agents (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement) to U.S. airports. They stated that the agents will help and assist TSA agents (Transportation Security Administration) who are not currently getting paid because of the government shutdown.

The administration has plans to send the ICE agents to 14 different airports around the country, and that includes Chicago, Houston, New York, and Atlanta. They are assisting with simpler tasks like freeing up more TSA employees to perform security work. The agents are now guarding entrances and exits and also doing crowd control while also getting trained by TSA workers.

Even though many ICE agents have been maskless in the airports, the presence of them still have made many travelers uneasy due to their violent reputation. The enforcement has received mixed reactions, democratic leaders have warned travelers of ICE’s brutality, while some travelers have stated that the presence of ICE has been helpful. A New Jersey senator, Corey Booker, stated that the reason why Trump refuses to let dollars flow to TSA is because he wants to continue the reckless and chaotic actions of ICE.

Tom Homan said on March 29, 2026, that ICE agents could remain at U.S. airports to assist with those security operations even though TSA officials are set to receive their paychecks. He stated that it will depend on how many TSA agents come back to their job, and how many have actually quit or have no plans on coming back to their jobs. Homan added that he is working very closely with the TSA administration and ICE directors to decide what the airports need.