WASHINGTON — Border czar Tom Homan confirmed Sunday, March 22, that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents are being deployed to major U.S. airports starting Monday to alleviate the mounting pressure on the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).
The move comes as a partial government shutdown enters a critical phase, leading to record-high “call-outs” among TSA officers who have been forced to work without pay. The deployment is intended to shift non-specialized duties to ICE personnel, allowing the remaining TSA workforce to focus on high-security roles.
“This is about … helping TSA do their mission and get the American public through that airport as quick as they can while adhering to all the security guidelines and the protocols,” Homan said during an interview on CNN’s State of the Union with Dana Bash.
Homan clarified that ICE agents will not be tasked with technical screening duties.
“We’re simply there to help TSA do their job in areas that don’t need their specialized expertise, such as screening through the X-ray machine,” Homan said.
Logistical planning remained underway through Sunday, with Homan coordinating with the heads of both ICE and TSA. Detailed deployment numbers and specific airport locations are expected to be announced Monday.
While federalized airports struggle with staffing shortages, approximately 20 airports across the U.S. have remained largely unaffected by the shutdown’s impact on security lines.
Facilities such as San Francisco International, Kansas City International, and Orlando Sanford participate in the TSA’s Screening Partnership Program. In these locations, security is managed by private contractors rather than federal employees. Because these contractors are paid through private companies, their checkpoints have avoided the long wait times seen elsewhere.
Despite being privately operated, these checkpoints remain under strict federal oversight.
“The security screeners with private companies receive the same type of training as TSA,” said Keith Jeffries, former TSA federal security director at Los Angeles International Airport and current vice president of K2 Security Screening Group.
Jeffries noted that airports have a standing choice to utilize private companies for screening. He emphasized that whether the personnel are federal or private, the security standards remain identical.
“What happens at the checkpoint stays the same… no matter who is operating it,” Jeffries added.|
