Donald Trump has threatened to deploy ICE agents to U.S. airports this Monday if Democrats do not agree to measures that are aimed at strengthening DHS’s security and immigration enforcement.
Trump took his threats to Truth Social this Saturday morning where he wrote, “If the Radical Left Democrats don’t immediately sign an agreement to let our Country, in particular, our Airports, be FREE and SAFE again, I will move our brilliant and patriotic ICE Agents to the Airports where they will do Security like no one has ever seen before, including the inner arrest of all illegal immigrants…”
While both the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) fall under the Department of Homeland Security, they both have separate roles and assignments. It is unclear what function ICE would perform as they’re not trained in airport security.
Donald Trump’s online remarks came after Democrats blocked a DHS funding bill, failing its advancement in the Senate.
Next week, TSA workers could miss their second full paycheck as lawmakers continue to feud over the resolution of the partial government shutdown. This has led to a growing number of TSA agents calling out of work or leaving their job altogether as many cite financial struggles.
According to CNN, Democrat Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut stated to reporters that the threat to “use ICE agents as a general kind of militia or state police is contrary to the Constitution, the law of the United States, and common sense.”
Throughout the week, a group of bipartisan lawmakers met behind closed doors with Border Czar Tom Homan. According to Senate Majority Leader John Thune, the meeting on Friday night was "productive" and confirmed that the Trump administration added to its offer on DHS funding, submitted legislative text, though lawmakers did not disclose what the new offer from the White House includes.
In a rare Saturday morning press conference on Capitol Hill, Thune urged Democrats to agree to a funding deal, stating, “At some point, the Democrats are going to have to take yes for an answer. I know they think this is politically good for them. It is not.”
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer spoke on the Senate floor on Saturday, urging Republicans to support a Democratic effort to fund TSA while they continue to navigate other negotiations.
According to Schumer, "It is unacceptable to say we will only pay TSA workers if it is attached to a bill that funds ICE with no reforms, but that's what the Republicans have been doing. Democrats want to pay TSA workers ASAP, with no strings attached," adding, “But we must fund TSA now. Let us keep negotiating the outstanding issues with ICE, but let us start sending paychecks to TSA workers now. Let us end the long lines at the airport now.”
