U.S. border czar Tom Homan said Sunday that he has been tasked with deploying Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to U.S. airports as the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) continues to struggle with staffing shortages due to the ongoing partial government shutdown.
Speaking on CNN's "State of the Union," Homan said the federal immigration agents won't replace TSA agents but can help with security and ease their workload. He added that the primary focus will be on "airports where the longest waits are."
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"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. Not trained in that? We won’t do that,” Homan said. “But there are roles we can play to release TSA officers from the non-significant roles, such as guarding an exit so they can get back to the scanning machines and move people quicker.”
President Donald Trump signaled that ICE agents could begin arriving at U.S. airports by as early as Monday. In a post on his Truth Social platform, he also blamed Democrats for the shutdown.
“The Radical Left Democrats have hurt so many people with their vicious and uncaring ways,” he wrote. “What they have done to the Department of Homeland Security, our fantastic TSA Officers, and, most importantly, the great people of our Country, is an absolute disgrace. If the Democrats do not allow for Just and Proper Security at our Airports, and elsewhere throughout our Country, ICE will do the job far better than ever done before!”
Meanwhile, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned Sunday that travel delays from the ongoing shutdown are likely “going to get much worse” if Congress does not authorize funding for the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees the TSA, Secret Service and Coast Guard. Republicans have blamed Democrats for the stalemate, while Democrats continue to push for changes in federal immigration enforcement.
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Since the shutdown began more than a month ago, about 10% of TSA’s 50,000 security agents have called off work, leading to long lines at airports. Duffy said TSA agents will likely miss their second paycheck this week if Congress does not act.
“Without getting paychecks, it’s even that much more challenging,” Duffy told ABC News. “They’re going to take other jobs to put food on the table and pay the rent. So, I do think it’s going to get much worse. And as it gets worse, I think that puts pressure on the Congress to come to a resolution."
