TSA airport security by Donald Trump: Waiting time to checking at airports - What will happen on Monday?

TSA airport security by Donald Trump: U.S. President Donald Trump said that he will be sending Immigration and Customs ‌Enforcement agents ⁠on Monday ⁠to help out Transportation Security Administration personnel in U.S airports. TSA officers haven't gotten a paycheck since the U.S. Department of Homeland Security partly shut down on Feb. 14. Democrats balked at funding the agency, while other departments are unaffected, demanding changes to immigration enforcement by federal agents following the shooting deaths of Alex Pretti and Renee Good in Minneapolis. Atlanta's checkpoint wait time spiked as high as 90 minutes on Saturday morning before melting away to nothing in the afternoon on what is typically one of the slowest days of the week for air travel. Staffing shortages have forced some airports to close checkpoints at times, with wait times swinging dramatically. Some travelers arrived four hours early.

"On Monday, ICE will ​be going ⁠to ‌airports to ​help ​our wonderful TSA ⁠Agents who have stayed ​on the job," he ​said in a Truth Social post on Sunday, Trump had ‌on Saturday threatened to deploy ​ICE ​agents ⁠to airports on Monday if congressional Democrats do not ​immediately agree to fund airport safety.

Elon Musk, the world’s richest person, on Saturday offered to cover TSA paychecks "during this funding impasse that is negatively affecting the lives of so many Americans at airports throughout the country." DHS, TSA and Musk representatives did not immediately respond to requests for comment.


Homeland Security historically has shifted resources ‌across agencies during emergency staffing shortages, said Stewart Baker, who was a DHS policy official in President George W. Bush's administration. Keeping TSA going without paying staff creates "serious trouble" for the agency, Baker said.

Using ICE agents for airport security “may be slower than using trained people, but it ​would be better than ​having nobody,” he added.

ICE, along with Customs and ⁠Border Protection, has deployed agents over the past few months to multiple areas as part of Trump's immigration crackdown, most recently to Minnesota in an operation that resulted in agents fatally shooting American citizens Renee Good and Alex Pretti. Their deaths sparked a backlash and led the Trump administration to adopt a more targeted approach in Minnesota. Trump ​this month fired Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem amid growing criticism of the administration's immigration tactics.

The U.S. Senate is considering the nomination of Senator Markwayne Mullin, an Oklahoma Republican, as the next DHS secretary. Trump has said his immigration policies are intended to curb illegal immigration and improve national security. A DHS funding bill has been held up in Congress as Democrats demand TSA changes that Republicans have resisted.

Democrats have said TSA reforms are needed, including a prohibition on agents wearing masks. Republicans have said that would endanger agents. Last year, the American Civil Liberties Union said TSA had provided lists of airport travelers to ICE, calling the move a break from TSA’s prior practices.