If you’re flying out this week, heads up: You may see ICE agents working alongside TSA.
Because of the ongoing DHS shutdown (now at Day 37), TSA staffing has hit a breaking point. To help move those 3-hour lines at some airports, the Trump administration is moving ICE personnel into "non-technical" roles—like guarding entry and exit doors —to free up the remaining TSA screeners for the X-ray machines. It is unclear which airports ICE agents will be deployed to, but Border Czar Tom Homan says likely it will be the busiest airports with the longest security lines.
What to know:
Wait times: Still expect delays. Staffing is still thin.
Security: Experts are split on whether this helps or just adds confusion.
37 Days. Zero Paychecks. 🛡️
TSA officers haven’t been paid since mid-February due to Democrats holding up DHS funding over ICE operations. While the politics play out in D.C., the reality on the ground is federal families struggling to pay rent while pulling double shifts to keep us safe.
Whether you agree with the ICE deployment or not, let’s remember the frontline workers caught in the middle. If you’re traveling today, bring some extra patience. They’re doing a high-stress job under impossible circumstances.