Trump says he’s sending federal immigration agents to airports on Monday amid DHS shutdown
Trump Threatens Deployment of ICE Agents to Airports Amid DHS Funding Dispute
On Saturday, President Donald Trump announced his intent to deploy ICE agents to U.S. airports by Monday, citing a prolonged impasse between Senate Republicans and Democrats over Homeland Security Department funding. In a post on Truth Social, he declared, “If the Democrats do not allow for Just and Proper Security at our Airports, and elsewhere throughout our Country, ICE will do the job far better than ever done before!” He later emphasized, “I look forward to moving ICE in on Monday, and have already told them to, ‘GET READY.'”
Senate Vote Sparks Debate Over Funding Ties
Hours before the president’s statement, Senate Republicans blocked a Democratic attempt to pass a stand-alone TSA funding bill with a 41-49 vote. The decision followed a day earlier when Senate Democrats rejected a Republican proposal to fully fund DHS, which had been partially shut down since mid-February. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., a central figure in Democratic negotiations, criticized the move, stating, “Today, Senate Republicans voted against paying TSA agents because they insist on tying TSA funding to their push to give even more money to ICE — without basic reforms. That is not how this should work — and it is just plain wrong that Republicans are preventing TSA agents from getting paid while airport lines grow longer across the country.”
Impact of the Partial Shutdown
The ongoing partial shutdown has left Transportation Security Administration officers unpaid, causing widespread resignations and extended security lines at airports. Meanwhile, ICE remains unaffected, as it received $75 billion in additional funds through the “big, beautiful bill” signed into law last year. This legislative package, which Trump championed, has enabled the agency to operate independently of the broader DHS funding crisis.
Trump’s threat comes after two Americans, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, were killed in Minnesota in January during a significant immigration enforcement operation. The incident fueled Democrats’ demand for stricter oversight of ICE, prompting their vow to continue the shutdown until Republicans agreed to reforms such as requiring ID badges and banning face coverings for agents.
Bipartisan Efforts to Resolve the Crisis
Capitol Hill lawmakers have intensified negotiations to end the shutdown. Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, engaged in discussions with a bipartisan group of senators twice this week, though a third meeting scheduled for Saturday evening was delayed. Senators aimed to hold the session on Sunday, according to a Democratic aide. Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., noted that Republicans had presented a revised proposal, including body cameras, enhanced training, and limits on arrests in sensitive locations like churches and hospitals. “I think the Democrats need to come back to us now and talk to us about what they’re willing to do,” Hoeven said.
Meanwhile, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., attributed the worsening airport security situation to Democratic inaction. “The situation at U.S. airports continues to worsen thanks to Democrats’ refusal to fund the Department of Homeland Security,” he remarked. Thune highlighted the prolonged impact of the shutdown, stating, “Thousands of Homeland Security employees have been working without pay for more than a month. The problems of having an unfunded Homeland Security Department continue to multiply.”
“It is unacceptable for workers and travelers in entire airports to get taken…”
