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Border czar Tom Homan detailed the plan to deploy Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to U.S. airports beginning on Monday to aid TSA workers in the wake of the ongoing DHS shutdown.<\/p>\n
Appearing on CNN\u2019s \u201cState of the Union\u201d on Sunday with host Dana Bash, Homan first explained that he is working with the administrator of TSA and the director of ICE to develop a game plan.<\/p>\n
\u201cFirst of all, are ICE agents even remotely trained to handle security at airports?\u201d Bash asked, to which Homan replied that ICE already operates at airports, and this new wave of agents would be helping in mostly non-specialized security-related areas.<\/p>\n
\u201c[We\u2019ve] got TSA agents covering exits \u2014 you know, people that enter through the exits. Certainly a highly-trained ICE law enforcement officer can cover an exit, make sure people don\u2019t \u2026 enter the airport through the exits, and stuff like that relieves that TSA officer to go to screening and to reduce those lines,\u201d Homan said. \u201cSo, wherever we can provide extra security.\u201d<\/p>\n
The border czar went on to note that he doesn\u2019t foresee ICE agents manning X-ray machines because they\u2019re not trained to do so. However, agents can be utilized in broad security roles allowing TSA workers to focus on specialized passenger screening jobs.<\/p>\n
Bash pressed Homan on the exact roles ICE agents would fill, but Homan noted that discussions are \u201ca work in progress\u201d and will be finalized by the end of the day Sunday.<\/p>\n
\u201cAre there specific airports that you\u2019re thinking about starting with, and how many ICE agents are you considering deploying to do this?\u201d Bash asked.<\/p>\n
While discussions are ongoing, Homan said, he believes airports experiencing the longest TSA wait times should be the priority.<\/p>\n
Bash pressed Homan on timing: \u201cWith respect, if you\u2019re doing this in 24 hours, how well thought out could it possibly be again?\u201d<\/p>\n
Homan hit back: \u201cHow much of a plan does it mean to guard an exit to make sure no one comes through that exit?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd we were talking about security options, and these officers are well trained in security, and they\u2019re well trained in identification, and we\u2019re going to do what we can to help TSA move those people to the line,\u201d the border czar added.<\/p>\n
Bash attempted to catch Homan at the end of the segment, asking him: \u201cIs it just going to be crowd control, or will ICE officers also be doing immigration enforcement while they are at the airport?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe do immigration enforcement at airports all the time,\u201d Homan replied. \u201cSo it\u2019s not going to change. This is about helping the men and women with TSA. They\u2019ve lost several hundred employees; the lines are really slow because the shutdown. This is about going to helping TSA do their mission and get the American public through that airport as quick as they can while adhering to all the security guidelines and the protocols.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nNEWS: White House Border Czar Tom Homan confirms President Trump will send ICE agents into airports across the country tomorrow. \u201cWe\u2019ll have a plan by the end of today what airports we\u2019re starting with and where we\u2019re sending them,\u201d Homan tells @DanaBashCNN<\/a>. pic.twitter.com\/Ue2VNlpKw6<\/a><\/p>\n
\u2014 State of the Union (@CNNSOTU) March 22, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
The Department of Homeland Security shutdown has been ongoing since February 14, leaving TSA agents \u2014 as well as FEMA and the Coast Guard \u2014 without pay. As a result, over 300 TSA agents have quit and lines at major airports across the country have begun to extend dramatically.<\/p>\n