President Donald Trump has proposed a way to break the deadlock in Congress that has resulted in a partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
The shutdown was initiated by Democrats on February 14, after they declined to approve the fiscal year 2026 DHS spending bill, which included calls for reform at Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
This push for reform is largely a reaction to the deaths of anti-ICE activists Alex Preti and Renee Good, but it overlooks that ICE is currently funded through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, enacted in 2025.
Despite this, the Democratic Party has rejected the DHS funding bill for a fifth time as of last Friday, which impacts funding for TSA and FEMA.
As a consequence, many TSA employees have gone unpaid during the shutdown, leading to growing issues for travelers. For instance, passengers at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport experienced wait times of up to two hours for screening. It’s frustrating, really.
In light of the situation, Trump has been contemplating solutions and suggested, over the weekend, that bringing ICE agents to airports might be beneficial.
“If the radical left Democrats do not immediately sign a deal to restore safety to our country, particularly at our airports, I will deploy our best ICE agents to provide unprecedented security,” Trump stated.
He also mentioned that having ICE at airports would facilitate the identification and immediate arrest of illegal immigrants entering the U.S.
Trump emphasized his focus on those of Somali descent, asserting that they have “completely destroyed the once-great state of Minnesota” with support from local officials.
He concluded his thoughts by expressing eagerness to see ICE’s presence at airports.
Meanwhile, it appears that Congress is still in session, with lawmakers remaining in Washington, D.C. This could mean further delays, leaving DHS workers without pay for possibly three more weeks if an agreement isn’t reached soon.
Out of over 61,000 TSA staff affected, at least 366 have retired, with many others working unpaid. Reports indicate that absenteeism reached a record high of 10.22% recently.
