ICE officers will begin assisting TSA as shutdown frustrates travelers and screeners

ICE officers are expected to begin handling some security duties at U.S. airports on Monday amid an ongoing partial government shutdown that has sidelined many Transportation Security Administration officers, with border czar Tom Homan in charge of the effort.

Trump made clear on Sunday that he was going ahead with the plan to have immigration enforcement officers assist the Transportation Security Administration by guarding exit lanes or checking passenger IDs unless Democrats agreed to fund the Department of Homeland Security. Democrats are demanding major changes to federal immigration operations and showing no sign of backing down.

Meanwhile, travelers are being warned to expect delays. The San Diego County Regional Airport Authority issued a travel advisory Sunday for passengers traveling out of the city’s airport.

“Passengers traveling out of San Diego International Airport are encouraged to check their flight status before coming to SAN and plan to arrive at least two hours before their flight,” airport spokeswoman Nicole Hall said.

“Checkpoint wait times and flight scheduling are subject to the operations of our federal and airline partners. These operations are, at times, affected by the federal government shutdown.”

We appreciate the ongoing commitment from @TSA_Pacific , @FAANews and our partner airlines to maintain the safety and reliability of the national transportation system during this challenging time. #sandiegoairport pic.twitter.com/DrIf7cdxl5

— San Diego Airport (@SanDiegoAirport) March 22, 2026

The head of TSA operations in San Diego said the partial government shutdown is not only impacting TSA lines at airports, but also his livelihood and the lives of many federal employees who are experiencing a lot of financial pressure.

“We’re all hurting. Literally, checking accounts are all wiped out. We haven’t recovered from the last two that we’ve had before,” Mack said.

Rep. Scott Peters, D-Poway, posted a photo of long lines at the airport on Sunday with the following message:

“View from the San Diego airport at 6:30 this morning. It doesn’t have to be like this. I have a bill to pay TSA workers, Coast Guard and emergency management without adding more to ICE and Border Patrol. Easy, right? But Trump won’t allow it. As the DHS shutdown drags into nearly 40 days, federal workers and travelers shouldn’t have to suffer from Republican inaction.”

White House border czar Tom Homan said immigration officers, as an example, could cover exits currently monitored by TSA officers, freeing them to work screening lines. Another option, he said, was having ICE officers check identification before people enter screening areas.

“We’re going to be a force multiplier,” Homan said, while also acknowledging there were limits.

“I don’t see an ICE agent looking at an X-ray machine, because we’re not trained in that,” he said. He pledged to have “a plan by the end of today, where we’re sending — what airports we’re starting with and where we’re sending them.”

But Everett Kelley, president of the American Federation of Government Employees, which represents more than 50,000 TSA employees, condemned Trump’s plan, saying in a statement that ICE officers are not trained or certified in aviation security.

“Our members at TSA have been showing up every day, without a paycheck, because they believe in the mission of keeping the flying public safe,” Kelley said Sunday. “They deserve to be paid, not replaced by untrained, armed agents who have shown how dangerous they can be.”