Hundreds of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents are set to deploy to 14 of the busiest U.S. airports starting Monday to address staffing shortages caused by the ongoing government shutdown. According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), TSA absenteeism reached a record 11.5% nationwide on Saturday, with critical airports like George Bush Intercontinental, JFK, and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta seeing rates as high as 42.4%, 33.4%, and 33.6%, respectively.

Staffing Crisis at Airports

Nationwide, over 9% of TSA employees have been absent over the past week, leading to significant delays for travelers. Thousands of TSA workers have been working without pay since the shutdown began five weeks ago, forcing many to miss work due to financial hardships. 'Many TSA officers cannot pay their rent, buy food, or afford to put gas in their cars — forcing them to call out sick from work,' a DHS spokesperson said Sunday.

'ICE will do the job far better than ever done before!' – President Donald Trump tweeted Sunday morning.

ICE Deployment Details

While DHS has not publicly disclosed the specifics of the ICE deployment to maintain operational security, sources confirm that agents will focus on passenger screening and line management. However, ICE agents will not operate behind security checkpoints due to lack of specific clearance. Former ICE Director Tom Homan emphasized that the deployment aims to expedite airport lines but acknowledged that ICE agents are not trained to handle X-ray machines or explosives detection—tasks that require months of specialized training.

The American Federation of Government Employees criticized the move, arguing that TSA workers deserve to be paid rather than replaced by untrained agents. 'Our members have been showing up every day, without a paycheck, because they believe in the mission of keeping the flying public safe,' said Everett Kelley, the union's national president. Unlike TSA employees, ICE agents have continued to receive pay during the shutdown due to separate funding provisions.

The deployment comes as congressional Democrats and Republicans remain deadlocked over funding for DHS, with Democrats demanding changes to ICE's immigration enforcement policies. For now, ICE agents will begin assisting at airports Monday, though questions remain about their effectiveness in roles traditionally handled by TSA personnel.