Government Shutdown: Trump Threatens To Put 'Brilliant And Patriotic ICE Agents' In Airports

(MENAFN- Live Mint) US President Donald Trump on Saturday threatened to deploy federal immigration agents to airports as the partial government shutdown which began on February 14 shows no signs of ending.

"I will move our brilliant and patriotic ICE Agents to the Airports where they will do Security like no one has ever seen before," Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.

'Will arrest illegal immigrants'

According to Trump, ICE Agents will be deployed to immediately "arrest of all Illegal Immigrants who have come into our Country, with heavy emphasis on those from Somalia, who have totally destroyed, with the approval of a corrupt Governor, Attorney General, and Congresswoman, Ilhan Omar, the once Great State of Minnesota".

TSA staffers to go unpaid

Trump's post comes as Transportation Security Administration (TSA) personnel are set to miss a second full paycheck on March 27 amid the partial government shutdown which is now in its 36th day.

Also Read | What's behind long TSA wait times across US airports?

Congressional Democrats have refused to pass appropriations bills to fund the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the parent agency of TSA.

The prolonged shutdown has forced many TSA officers to look for alternative sources of income including gig works like Amazon deliveries and driving Uber cabs to put food on their tables.

Musk offers to pay TSA staff

Earlier in the day, Tesla CEO Elon Musk had offered to cover the salaries of TSA personnel during the ongoing government funding standoff.

"I would like to offer to pay the salaries of TSA personnel during this funding impasse that is negatively affecting the lives of so many Americans at airports throughout the country," Musk said in an X post.

Can Trump deploy ICE at airports?

The shortage of security agents has also led to travel disruptions at major airports.

Though Trump has threatened to deploy ICE agents to US airports, it is unclear if he would follow through on it.

Also Read | Rock band Radiohead urges US ICE to take down video using its song

In the past, ICE agents have been deployed to airports in the US to conduct arrests through partnerships with the TSA, targeting individuals with deportation orders.

ICE on backfoot over Minneapolis shootings

Trump's threat to deploy ICE agents to airports comes at a time when the federal law enforcement agency is under fire for its high-handed crackdown on immigrants across the US over the past few months.

Also Read | Minneapolis shooting weighs heavy on Trump admin, latest poll reveals

The killing of two American citizens, Renée Nicole Good, and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis in January has turned the public sentiment against ICE across the US.

Under mounting pressure, the Trump administration was forced to remove Greg Bovino, US. Border Patrol official who became the public face of the immigration enforcement operations.

Bovino, who was the Commander-at-Large was replaced by Trump's Border Czar Tom Homan in January.

Earlier this month, Trump was forced to remove Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.

Key Takeaways

The ongoing government shutdown is affecting TSA personnel who are seeking alternative income sources. Trump's proposal to deploy ICE agents at airports could escalate tensions surrounding immigration enforcement. Public sentiment towards ICE has shifted, leading to increased scrutiny of the agency's practices.

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