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'Helpful' and 'scary': Travellers react to ICE agents at airports

'Helpful' and 'scary': Travellers react to ICE agents at airports

Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have been deployed to US airports to assist TSA during the partial government shutdown.

March 24, 2026 at 03:49 PM Original source
6 agencies covered this story

Coverage by Political Leaning

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Left
3 articles
Lean Left
2 articles
Center
1 articles
Lean Right
0 articles
No coverage
Right
0 articles
No coverage

Notable Quotes

"ICE officers are guarding entrances and exits, assisting with logistics, and doing crowd control."

— Lauren Bis , Executive

"ICE agents run security machines at the southern border, which he said makes them qualified to run airport security lines."

— Sean Duffy , Politician

"ICE agents were 'filling the holes' left by TSA staffing gaps."

— Tom Homan , Executive

"This pointless, reckless shutdown of our homeland security workforce has caused more than 450 TSA officers to quit."

— Lauren Bis , Executive

"Trump made a brilliant move this week, and he called me, he says, ‘Let’s send ICE to the airport.’ I thought it was a smart move."

— Tom Homan , Executive

"We’re going to arrest criminals going through this airport. We’re going to look for human trafficking, sex trafficking, money, you know, um, money smuggling."

— Tom Homan , Executive

"President Trump made a smart move. We’re going to keep the airplanes flying. We’re going to get the American people to those lines quicker, and we’re not going to give up President Trump’s promise to American people to make this country safer every day, and that’s what we’re going to keep going."

— Tom Homan , Executive

"It could be a 'test run' ahead of 'ICE’s involvement in the 2026 midterm elections.'"

— Steve Bannon , Activist

"ICE isn't needed at PIT, where TSA lines have remained short and manageable."

— Sara Innamorato , Executive

"Deploying ICE for political gamesmanship, while the government refuses to pay TSA workers, undermines that vision by injecting fear and confusion where there should be connection."

— Jaime Martinez , Activist

All Coverage

'Helpful' and 'scary': Travellers react to ICE agents at airports
BBC Newsvia rss

Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have been deployed to US airports to assist TSA during the partial government shutdown.

100%
Associated Pressvia ai

Over 450 TSA officers have quit due to unpaid labor amid a partial government shutdown, severely impacting airport operations and leading to long security lines nationwide.

80%
Here's what ICE can (and can't) do in airports
Axiosvia ai 2 quotes 2 persons

ICE agents have been deployed to assist TSA during the partial government shutdown, but their specific duties remain unclear, raising questions about the appropriateness and effectiveness of their involvement.

80%
ICE Agents Sip Starbucks and Chit Chat as Airport Chaos Spirals
Daily Beastvia ai 2 quotes 2 persons

Despite being deployed to support TSA operations amid a partial government shutdown, ICE agents have been observed idly chatting and drinking coffee, rather than actively aiding with airport delays.

80%
Trump's Border Czar Makes Confession About ICE's Role at Airports
Daily Beastvia ai 4 quotes 2 persons

Former President Trump's border czar revealed that ICE's role at airports extends beyond crowd control to actively arresting individuals, raising questions about the appropriateness and effectiveness of their involvement.

80%
ICE agents deployed at Pittsburgh airport
Axiosvia ai 2 quotes 2 persons

ICE agents have been deployed to Pittsburgh International Airport to assist TSA during the partial government shutdown, sparking controversy over their role and effectiveness.

80%