President Donald Trump has said he will send federal immigration agents to US airports starting Monday, escalating a political confrontation over funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). In a series of social media posts, Trump said officers from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) would be tasked with enforcing security measures at airports, including “the immediate arrest of all Illegal Immigrants who have come into our Country”.
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He warned that the move would go ahead unless Democrats agreed to what he described as “proper security” measures, urging immigration agents to “get ready”.
Shutdown dispute intensifies
The announcement comes as a partial shutdown of DHS continues, following a deadlock in the Senate between Republicans and Democrats over funding. Lawmakers have failed to reach agreement on legislation that would finance both airport security operations and immigration enforcement.
A key point of contention has been whether funding for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) should be linked to additional resources for ICE.
Democrats have pushed for a stand-alone bill to fund TSA, warning that airport security staff have gone unpaid for weeks, leading to staff shortages and long queues at airports. Republicans, however, have insisted on combining funding measures with broader immigration provisions.
Political blame game
Senior Democrats accused Republicans of using TSA workers as leverage to secure expanded immigration enforcement powers. Senator Patty Murray said it was “plain wrong” that airport security officers were not being paid while negotiations continued.
Republicans, in turn, blamed Democrats for the disruption. Senate Majority Leader John Thune said the situation at airports was deteriorating because of the opposition’s refusal to back DHS funding proposals.
Meanwhile, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer criticised Republicans for tying funding to immigration policies, calling the situation unacceptable for both workers and travellers.
Operational impact grows
The ongoing shutdown has already affected airport operations nationwide, with TSA officers calling in sick in large numbers due to missed pay. This has resulted in longer waiting times and increased pressure on airport security systems.
ICE, which received separate funding last year, has not been directly impacted by the shutdown, allowing the agency to continue its operations.
Negotiations to resolve the impasse are ongoing, with bipartisan talks expected to resume. However, Trump’s proposed deployment of immigration agents signals a further escalation in the dispute, raising questions about how airport security responsibilities could shift if no agreement is reached.
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Adapted by ASEAN Now. Source 22 March 2026