Trump Threatens ICE Deployment at Airports Over Funding

Trump Threatens ICE Deployment at Airports Over Funding

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump has threatened to deploy Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to US airports if congressional Democrats do not agree to fund airport safety. This move comes as a partial government shutdown continues, affecting Transportation Security Administration (TSA) personnel.

Trump emphasized that ICE agents are "brilliant and patriotic" and promised their deployment would enhance security at airports. However, TSA officers, who are specifically trained for airport security, are facing staffing shortages due to high rates of sick calls and resignations during the shutdown.

Senator Richard Blumenthal criticized Trump's proposal, calling it a "reckless threat" and warning that ICE agents would be seen roaming airports, which he compared to "fascism". Meanwhile, Representative Bennie Thompson accused Trump of manufacturing chaos for political leverage and urged the president to pay TSA workers and reform ICE practices.

Elon Musk offered to cover TSA paychecks during the funding impasse, but DHS and TSA representatives did not respond to his offer. Stewart Baker, a former DHS official, suggested using ICE agents as a last resort, acknowledging it would be slower than relying on trained security personnel but better than having no one.

ICE has been central to Trump's immigration crackdown, drawing criticism from Democrats and civil liberties groups. Recent deployments in Minnesota have led to fatal shootings and criticism of the administration's tactics. Trump fired Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem amid this backlash and is considering Markwayne Mullin as a replacement.

A DHS funding bill remains stalled as Democrats demand TSA reforms, including mask prohibitions, while Republicans oppose such changes. Last year, TSA sharing traveler lists with ICE was criticized by the ACLU as a departure from prior practices.