Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents deployed to assist with airport security amid Transportation Security Administration (TSA) staffing shortages may remain in place indefinitely as TSA operational strains persist. Despite President Trump's Friday executive order mandating emergency pay for TSA officers, major airports across the country continue to urge travelers to arrive hours early due to extended security wait times.
TSA Staffing Shortages Escalate
Nearly 500 TSA officers have quit since the partial government shutdown began on Valentine's Day, according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). White House border czar Tom Homan stated that ICE's presence at airports depends on how many TSA employees return to work after receiving pay. 'ICE is there to help our brothers and sisters in TSA. We’ll be there as long as they need us,' Homan told CBS' 'Face the Nation.'
'It’s good news because these TSA officers are struggling. They can’t feed their families or pay their rent.'
Impact on Travelers
Airports such as Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental, Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International, and New York’s LaGuardia have warned travelers to arrive up to four hours early as TSA lines remain significantly longer than usual. Maryland Governor Wes Moore confirmed that ICE agents at Baltimore-Washington International Airport are assisting solely with security clearance, not immigration enforcement, to expedite passenger processing.
While backpay for TSA officers is expected to begin arriving this week, concerns remain over whether full backpay will be disbursed and whether absent officers will receive compensation for missed shifts. Johnny Jones of the American Federation of Government Employees' TSA chapter described the situation as 'a disaster in progress.'