Trump says he'll put ICE agents at airport security if funding bill isn’t passed

TSA troubles impact airports across country

FOX 5 Atlanta's Tara Jabour and FOX 5 New York's Stephanie Bertini joins LiveNOW's Mike Pache to discuss air travel disruptions across U.S. airports as the DHS shutdown continues.

President Donald Trump said this weekend that he’ll put ICE agents at airports amid the partial government shutdown and TSA shortage if a funding bill isn’t passed soon. 

He made the remarks on his Truth Social account Saturday morning. 

Trump on ICE agents at airports

FILE - TSA agents are seen at the domestic security checkpoint at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on January 25, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Elijah Nouvelage/Getty Images)

What they're 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, including the immediate arrest of all illegal immigrants who have come into our country," he wrote, in part. 

Dig deeper:

ICE, which is short for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, is the main government agency responsible for removing people from the country illegally. The agency was formed under the Homeland Security Act., stemming from the terror acts of 9/11. 

Meanwhile:

ICE operations are continuing mostly unaffected during the shutdown, as Trump’s tax and spending cut law from 2025 provided the agency with about $75 billion. The same is in effect for the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, which was provided with about $65 billion from the law. 

RELATED: TSA wait times: Airline CEOs blast Congress; ‘simply unacceptable’

Earlier:

Earlier on Saturday, billionaire businessman Elon Musk offered to cover the salaries of TSA personnel during the shutdown and funding disruption.

"I would like to offer to pay the salaries of TSA personnel during this funding impasse that is negatively affecting the lives of so many Americans at airports throughout the country," he said in an X post.

TSA wait times

The backstory:

Some of the nation’s busiest airports are seeing hourslong security lines. Most security lines rely on federal screening officers employed directly by the Transportation Security Administration, who must work without pay during shutdowns.

The government has been partially shut down since Feb. 14 after a deal to fund Homeland Security was unreachable. Democrats want changes to immigration operations that are central to President Donald Trump’s deportation campaign.

RELATED: TSA security lines: Why some airports are moving passengers through faster

The TSA security line at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport was over an hour the evening of Sunday, March 8, 2025. (Photo: FOX Television Stations) 

Look ahead:

Disruptions at the airport are not yet widespread, but are a concern as the shutdown continues into the busy spring break travel season.  

RELATED: Airport security strain during shutdown grows as unpaid TSA officers warn, ‘We’re hurting’

What you can do:

If you are traveling soon, check for updates from your local airport about its recommendation for arrival times. You can check on their social media accounts or directly on the airport’s website. 

Also look for information from the airport you’re flying home from. Some major airports allow you to book a specific time slot for TSA security, reducing wait times.