ICE agents headed to airports to assist TSA workers amid ongoing partial government shutdown
Federal officials have released few details about the specifics of which airports ICE will be sent to and what their roles will look like.
More Stories
Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents are expected to be deployed to airports across the country starting today.
Over the weekend, President Donald Trump issued the order to support Transportation Security Administration officials who have gone more than a month without pay amid an ongoing partial government shutdown.
Congress previously approved funding for ICE, but failed to renew Homeland Security funding overall last month.
Democrats have introduced a bill to fund TSA, FEMA, the Coast Guard and cybersecurity as the party seeks changes to how ICE operates, including to require agents not to wear masks, have body cameras and have judicial warrants when agents are going after people in their homes.
Many Republicans have bucked those proposals and now Trump said the majority party should not accept any deal from Democrats that doesn't include a broad elections bill that includes stricter voter registration rules and is the president’s top legislative priority.
The lack of funding has left TSA workers without pay for more than a month and has led to staffing shortages, resulting in long security wait times and lines.
Federal officials were not direct about how many ICE agents would be deployed and to which airports. Leaders said agents could hold various roles from line management to crowd control, but would likely not be doing official security tasks like checking x-ray machines.
