Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents are trained to help with airport security, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy told ABC News' "This Week" on Sunday, following an announcement by President Donald Trump that ICE personnel would be deployed to airports beginning Monday.
"Democrats want to see long lines at airports as leverage," Duffy said. "President Trump's trying to take that leverage away and not make the American people suffer."
The deployment comes amid a partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security, which has left several key agencies — including the Transportation Security Administration, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and the Coast Guard — without funding.
ICE, however, continues to receive funding through the One Big Beautiful Bill passed last summer.
The shutdown follows a standoff between Democrats and Republicans over proposed changes to ICE policy.
Democrats have sought requirements that ICE agents not wear face masks, use body cameras, and obtain judicial warrants before entering homes or businesses. Republicans have rejected those conditions.
Duffy blamed Democrats for worsening airport delays and warned that staffing shortages at TSA could intensify disruptions during the busy spring break travel season.
According to DHS, more than 400 TSA officers have quit and others have called in sick after missing paychecks during the shutdown.
"I think you're going to see more TSA agents ... they're going to quit, or they're not going to show up," Duffy said. "I do think it's going to get much worse, and as it gets worse, I think that puts pressure on the Congress to come to a resolution."
Questions remain about the scope and logistics of deploying ICE agents to airports.
When pressed on how many agents would be sent and whether they have relevant experience, Duffy said ICE personnel are familiar with similar screening operations at the southern border.
"They run those same type of security machines at the southern border," he said. "To manage the through flow of people, and even administratively, they'll be helpful."
It remains unclear how many ICE agents will be assigned or which airports will receive them.
Brian Freeman ✉
Brian Freeman, a Newsmax writer based in Israel, has more than three decades writing and editing about culture and politics for newspapers, online and television.
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