Trump says he will order federal immigration officers to help with airport security unless Democrats end shutdown

President Trump said Saturday he will deploy federal immigration officers to assist with airport security starting Monday unless Democrats agree to fund the Department of Homeland Security. The move appears designed to pressure congressional Democrats to pass a funding bill to avoid what Trump frames as a security gap during a government shutdown. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers, whose primary role is enforcement and deportations, lack the training and authority for airport screening duties typically handled by the Transportation Security Administration. The announcement reflects Trump's strategy of using executive actions to escalate pressure on Democrats during budget negotiations. If Democrats do not capitulate, the redeployment would pull immigration officers from their regular duties and potentially create staffing shortages in enforcement operations.