Donald Trump had threatened on Saturday to send ICE agents to airports starting early next week, where wait times can be hours due to a lack of TSA personnel, who are unpaid due to a partial government shutdown.
Questioned on CNN Sunday morning, his immigration advisor Tom Homan confirmed that an unspecified number of immigration police officers would be deployed on Monday, with priority given to large airports with the longest queues, up to three hours.
According to Tom Homan, the goal is for the officers to handle basic security tasks, such as monitoring exit gates, so that TSA agents can focus on specialized screening positions. He mentioned that ICE agents are not trained for x-ray scanner oversight.
Since February 14, funding for the DHS, which oversees the TSA, has been frozen due to deep disagreements between Democrats and Republicans in Congress regarding immigration enforcement practices, particularly on the left.
Due to this partial shutdown, thousands of DHS federal employees have been furloughed, while thousands of others, in essential functions, are working without pay.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy stated on ABC on Sunday that the situation would worsen as time went on, as more TSA agents are expected to resign or not show up for work, looking for other jobs to buy food and pay rent.
