ICE Agents Deployed to 14 Airports Can't Actually Do TSA's Job — And They're Getting Paid While TSA Works Unpaid

The Situation

During a partial government shutdown that has left TSA employees working without pay, the Trump administration deployed ICE agents to at least 14 airports to help with security lines. A month into the shutdown, TSA agents are calling in sick en masse, causing travel chaos across the US.

The Problem

ICE Agents Aren't Trained for TSA Work

Transportation Security Officers tell WIRED that ICE agents:

• Don't have proper certification for security screening functions
• Lack training in identifying suspicious items or behavior
• Are being hastily trained to check IDs and boarding passes (a nonspecialized function)
• Can't perform the actual security screening that would speed up lines

What ICE Agents Are Actually Doing

• Walking in packs, patrolling security lines and baggage areas
• Giving directions to lost passengers
• Distributing mini water bottles
• Mostly standing around doing nothing

"ICE are here and they're doing literally nothing to help," an airline worker was overheard saying at JFK.

The Outrage Factor

Paid vs. Unpaid

• ICE agents: Getting paid during the shutdown
• TSA agents: Working without pay for half the fiscal year
• TSA workers are frustrated watching paid ICE agents who can't help

Wrong Skill Set

Hydrick Thomas, security officer and president of AFGE Local 2222:

"If you want to bring a tactical force into an environment where it's required to have customer service and a mindset where you know what you're doing, how to identify something that might be suspicious — they don't have that training."

Security Concerns

• Untrained personnel handling security functions creates safety risks
• ICE's tactical training is inappropriate for passenger screening
• The deployment appears designed for optics rather than effectiveness

Impact

• LaGuardia: Hours-long security lines
• Houston (Bush International): 3.5-hour waits
• Nationwide: Travel chaos as the shutdown continues
• TSA workforce: Demoralized, worried about job security

What It Means

The ICE airport deployment is emblematic of broader issues:

• Immigration enforcement priorities trumping travel safety
• Political theater over practical solutions
• Government workers as pawns in political battles

Source: WIRED