Trump Official Says ICE Could Stay at Airports Even as TSA Gets Paid

White House border czar Tom Homan said Sunday that ICE agents will remain at U.S. airports even after TSA workers receive back pay, with their continued presence dependent on how many TSA staff return to work following the partial government shutdown that began in February. More than 500 TSA workers have quit since the shutdown over Department of Homeland Security funding, and thousands more called out sick, creating lengthy security lines that prompted President Trump to deploy ICE agents and order TSA funding last week. Homan told CNN and CBS that ICE will stay "until airports feel like they're 100%, in a posture where they can do normal operations," saying additional ICE deployment would continue if fewer TSA agents return. The move has drawn mixed reactions—Democratic leaders warned of ICE brutality toward travelers, while some travelers found the presence helpful, though reports show ICE agents lacked proper training for TSA duties and have not consistently reduced wait times. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt acknowledged on March 25 that wait times had not decreased "as much as we like," even as Homan defended the deployments, citing reduced lines in Houston and Baltimore.