President Trump has announced that ICE Agents will be sent to airports to assist TSA officers amid the government shutdown affecting DHS. During CNN’s state of the union Border Czar Tom Homan stated that:
We’ll put together a plan today and we’ll execute tomorrow
Previously the Trump administration paused Global Entry & TSA PreCheck before reopening it after it became clear they were being blamed for the shut down and it not making any sense in the first place as those programs reduce staffing levels required.
Homan stated that ICE agents would be used for logistical roles and that airports with the longest lines would be prioritized. He also mentioned officers watching over exits to the secured side. AFGE (union representing TSA officers) President Everett Kelley ‘slammed’ the decision stating (emphasis ours):
ICE agents are not trained or certified in aviation security. TSA officers spend months learning to detect explosives, weapons, and threats specifically designed to evade detection at checkpoints — skills that require specialized instruction, hands-on practice, and ongoing recertification. You cannot improvise that. Putting untrained personnel at security checkpoints does not fill a gap. It creates one.
It’s unclear if legally ICE agents are even able to assist in these duties. Please discuss civilly in the comments, I suspect they will need to be shut at some time but remember to follow the comment rules.
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