In a bold statement on Saturday, President Donald Trump indicated he would assign Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to manage security at U.S. airports if congressional Democrats do not come to a resolution regarding the partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
Trump took to Truth Social, saying, “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 where they will do Security like no one has ever seen before.”
He further elaborated that, if deployed, ICE agents would also engage in standard immigration enforcement operations, particularly focusing on individuals from Somalia, attributing issues in Minnesota to the state’s leadership, including Congresswoman Ilhan Omar.
🚨 President Trump proposes deploying ICE agents to airports, emphasizing stricter immigration enforcement and security measures. pic.twitter.com/5GnEA1YytQ
— Derrick Evans (@DerrickEvans4WV) March 21, 2026
This announcement comes after over five weeks of a DHS shutdown, which began on February 14. The shutdown has significantly impacted non-essential operations, including TSA screening, despite critical national security functions continuing under previous funding.
TSA agents have been working without pay during this time, resulting in more than 400 resignations and a surge in absenteeism across the nation’s busiest airports, leading to substantial delays at major hubs such as Dallas, Denver, and Atlanta.
The standoff in funding stemmed from disagreements in Congress over the DHS appropriations bill. Senate Democrats have repeatedly blocked efforts to advance or pass full-year funding, citing necessary reforms to immigration enforcement practices by ICE and Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
Democrats’ key demands include judicial warrants for certain operations, which could fundamentally alter U.S. immigration enforcement and potentially halt deportations completely. They are also insisting on restrictions on agents wearing masks during operations, enhanced oversight of incident reviews, and tighter controls on actions near sensitive sites such as schools and churches.
The Trump administration, along with Border Czar Tom Homan, has offered policy changes intended to alleviate concerns while moving negotiations forward. Suggested measures include mandatory body-worn camera usage for oversight, limitations on immigration enforcement in sensitive areas, and essential training protocols.
Despite these proposals, Democrats have dismissed the offers as inadequate and have repeatedly blocked funding legislation in the Senate, including motions requiring 60 votes to proceed. House-passed funding bills have stalled in the upper chamber as a consequence.
This situation marks the second shutdown related to the DHS in 2026, close on the heels of an earlier shutdown in late January and early February, which revolved around similar immigration policy disagreements.
