President Donald Trump has stepped up his criticism of the ongoing partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). On Monday, March 23, he revealed that the idea of deploying Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to U.S. airports was his and hinted at even tougher measures if the move fails or proves insufficient to restore order amid widespread travel chaos.
Speaking aboard Air Force One before boarding, Trump likened his decision to send ICE personnel to airports to the invention of the paperclip, an elegantly simple solution that others had missed.
In response to a question from reporter Kaitlan Collins about whose idea it was to place ICE officers in airports, Trump replied, “Mine. That was like the paperclip. Do you know the story of the paperclip? 182 years ago, a man discovered the paperclip.
“It was so simple. And everybody who looked at it thought, ‘Why didn’t I think of that?’ ICE was my idea.”
The deployment comes after the DHS funding deadlock has left thousands of Transportation Security Administration (TSA) workers unpaid for more than five weeks.
This has led to high absenteeism, long security lines, flight delays, and more frustrated spring break travelers.
The shutdown stems from congressional gridlock, with Democrats tying full funding to restrictions on ICE operations, including demands for judicial warrants in certain enforcement actions.
Also Read: Trump Faces Backlash Over Plan to Deploy ICE Agents at Airports
Trump made clear that ICE’s role goes beyond simply assisting with security checkpoints. When asked whether ICE would arrest undocumented immigrants at airports, he said all undocumented immigrants streaming into the United States via the airports are going to be arrested by ICE agents:
“Yeah. That’s why the Democrats are going crazy. ICE loves it because they’re able to arrest illegals as they come into the country. It’s very fertile territory,” Trump said.
Border czar Tom Homan had earlier revealed that ICE agents would help “move those lines” while continuing to carry out immigration enforcement duties.
Hundreds of ICE officers began showing up at affected airports on Monday, although the exact number, locations, and scope of their responsibilities are still in flux.
DHS officials have described this move as a short-term solution to help the TSA at this critical time. However, not everyone is comfortable with this decision.
Former TSA employees and their unions have raised some concerns about this move. They are worried about how the ICE officers will do their job because they are trained to deal with immigration issues, not necessarily security issues at airports, which is already a stressful place.
Trump Hints at Deploying National Guard at Airports
There is a sense in Trump’s statements that this is just the beginning, and that if the situation is not improved soon, he is willing to bring in the National Guard.
In earlier statements tied to the same tarmac remarks, the president stressed that continued Democratic resistance to funding DHS without concessions on immigration enforcement would force stronger federal intervention to protect public safety and travel reliability.
Also Read: Trump Accuses Democrats of Airport Disruptions Linked to DHS Funding Impasse
So far, the standoff has drawn mixed reactions across the political spectrum. Republicans argue that Democrats are holding airport security hostage to shield illegal immigration.
Democrats, on the other hand, say that the administration’s approach makes basic services more political and could lead to civil liberties violations through harsh enforcement at public transit hubs. Democrats opined that the move to deploy ICE agents at the airport could hurt tourism, especially as the World Cup looms.
Some state leaders, including governors from both parties, have offered National Guard support at local airports if federal help falls short.
With Congress heading into a scheduled recess, the deployment has intensified pressure on lawmakers to reach a compromise.
Travelers are still facing uncertainty, though, as aviation experts warn that long delays could affect the economy during one of the busiest travel times of the year.
