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By Billal Rahman
Immigration Reporter
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Federal immigration agents will “hate” being deployed to assist airport security operations amid Transportation Security Administration (TSA) staffing shortages, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) official told Newsweek.
“The HSI agents will hate it,” the official said, referring to Homeland Security Investigations personnel. “I’ve not heard any talk of this within ERO (Enforcement and Removal Operations). They want us arresting and deporting aliens.”
The official, who requested anonymity to speak freely, said they first heard about the reassignment when they were contacted by Newsweek over the weekend.
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The Trump administration has begun deploying ICE agents to airports nationwide to assist TSA, following weeks of disruption caused by the partial government shutdown, which has contributed to staffing shortages and longer passenger screening times. Some airports have advised travelers to arrive hours earlier than usual.
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President Donald Trump said Monday he does not support allowing ICE agents to wear masks while assisting at airports.
"I would greatly appreciate, however, NO MASKS, when helping our Country out of the Democrat caused MESS at the airports, etc.” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Most TSA employees, considered essential workers, have continued working without pay, contributing to rising call-out rates. Travelers at some airports have reported waiting for hours, and officials have warned that small airports could face temporary closures. Over 400 TSA officers have left the agency amid the shutdown, DHS said. To help manage these gaps, ICE personnel are being deployed in support roles such as crowd management, rather than conducting security screenings or immigration enforcement.
While a complete official list of airports has not been released, the deployment is understood to cover facilities across the country, including John F. Kennedy International Airport and LaGuardia Airport in New York, as well as airports serving Newark, New Jersey; Philadelphia; Chicago; Atlanta; New Orleans; Houston; and Phoenix, according to The New York Times.
At Chicago O’Hare International Airport, Mayor Brandon Johnson told Newsweek that about 75 ICE officers are expected to be deployed across multiple shifts beginning Monday, March 23, while Midway International Airport has not been identified for a similar deployment.
"I have concerns about the deployment of federal agents at airports across the United States," Johnson told Newsweek.
"We will closely monitor the deployment and use every tool we have to ensure that people, no matter their immigration status, can travel to and from Chicago safely and without harassment from the federal government."
The mayor’s office said the ICE personnel will perform non-screening support duties, including monitoring exit lanes, making routine passenger announcements, such as reminding travelers to remove liquids from their bags, assisting with queue management, and other tasks intended to allow TSA officers to focus on passenger and baggage screening.
Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens confirmed that ICE personnel would begin operations at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Monday morning. A spokesperson for the airport also told Newsweek that ICE agents are currently on site.
Lawmakers from both parties have traded blame for the shutdown as spring break travel is disrupted nationwide. Some Democratic senators have withheld support for a funding package following the killings of two U.S. citizens during a major enforcement operation in Minneapolis, calling for reforms to the agency before approving additional resources.
Former ICE Baltimore Field Office Director Darius Reeves, who retired last year, told Newsweek the deployment of ICE agents at airports is "troubling, and mind-boggling." He said shifting ICE agents away from their primary duties could undermine the agency’s core mission.
"You're taking the emphasis off of targeted enforcement. I don't think it's going to make the streets unsafe, I think you're just going to miss your true intent," Reeves said.
He also questioned the rationale behind the decision, calling it politically motivated.
“I believe it's a provocative move from the administration…you're politicizing once again…a law enforcement entity.”
"It’s just a hot mess,” Reeves said, adding, “I see it as a political stink bomb, an attempt at provocation.”
He warned that assigning ICE agents to unfamiliar roles could lead to operational errors.
"I think you're gonna have a lot of mistakes made. If they actually interact, you're gonna have a lot of oops, sorry scenarios."
“ICE cannot readily assess fake documents."Reeves added, arguing that other federal personnel, such as Customs and Border Protection, are better trained for airport-specific screening tasks.
"You can't make a bad situation worse," Reeves said.
Lauren Bis, a spokesperson for DHS, told Newsweek, "While the Democrats continue to put the safety, dependability, and ease of our air travel at risk, President Trump is taking action to deploy hundreds of ICE officers, that are currently funded by Congress, to airports being adversely impacted. This will help bolster TSA efforts to keep our skies safe and minimize air travel disruptions.”
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