President Donald Trump has threatened to deploy Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to US airports on Monday if Democrats do not agree to measures aimed at strengthening security and immigration enforcement. In a Truth Social post on Saturday, Trump said: 'If the Radical Left Democrats don’t immediately sign an agreement to let our Country, in particular, our Airports, be FREE and SAFE again, I will move our brilliant and patriotic ICE Agents to the Airports.'
Airport security is currently handled by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), while ICE handles immigration enforcement. Both agencies fall under the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Trump added that ICE 'will do Security like no one has ever seen before, including the immediate arrest of all Illegal Immigrants who have come into our country', and pointed to a focus on arresting immigrants from Somalia, whom he claimed without evidence have 'totally destroyed' Minnesota.
The remarks come amid political tensions over immigration policy and a broader debate over federal enforcement powers. Trump’s post came hours after Democrats blocked a DHS funding bill – the fifth time since the shutdown of the agency began in mid-February. On Saturday, the Senate rejected a motion by Democrats to take up legislation to reopen the TSA and pay workers who are now going without paychecks. Republicans argue that they need to fund all parts of the DHS, not just certain ones.
Democrats are demanding changes in immigration enforcement operations, including ICE, after an immigration crackdown in Minneapolis led to clashes that resulted in the deaths of two protesters. They are asking for better identification for federal law enforcement officers, a new code of conduct for those agencies and more use of judicial warrants, among other measures.
Trump’s threat to put ICE agents at airport security checkpoints comes as a growing number of TSA agents are calling out sick or leaving the agency, many citing financial struggles. TSA workers could miss their second full paycheck next week as Washington lawmakers feud over the resolution to a partial government shutdown. The DHS has said that at least 366 TSA agents have quit their jobs since the shutdown began on 14 February.
There were signs of progress in the Senate, however, with the restarting in recent days of stalled talks between Democrats and the White House. On Saturday, Republican and Democratic senators were set to meet for a third consecutive day with White House officials behind closed doors as the Senate Democratic leader, Chuck Schumer, spoke of 'productive conversations'.
