ICE agents deployed to some U.S. airports as TSA lines stretch for hours
The Trump administration began deploying U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to some of the busiest airports in the country Monday morning.
Updated on: March 23, 2026 / 1:05 PM EDT / CBS News
Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents began deploying to some U.S. airports on Monday as a partial government shutdown caused shortages of Transportation Security Administration officers who have resigned or called out of work. At the same time, airport security wait times have skyrocketed.
ICE agents are currently stationed in 14 U.S. airports, according to White House border czar Tom Homan, who is managing their deployment. He told reporters that the agents are there to "help Americans transit those lines" and blamed Democrats for the funding delays fueling the shutdown, although he declined to share details about the status of negotiations on Capitol Hill.
Asked about any ICE arrests in airports, Homan reiterated that their primary mission is to help TSA with security, but "if they see criminal activity, just like a law enforcement officer, they should take action."
Immigration agents arrived Monday at Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport , where they were seen patrolling the lines outside security checkpoints, CBS News correspondent Skyler Henry reported. Excessively long security lines snaked all the way to the parking lots outside of airports in cities including Atlanta, New York City and New Orleans over the weekend as TSA officers were absent.
TSA staff have gone without paychecks since the partial shutdown began in mid-February. More than 11.5% of TSA officers nationwide called out on Saturday alone, which was the highest share since the partial shutdown began.