President Donald Trump mentioned he is contemplating sending the Nationwide Guard to U.S. airports, two days after the administration deployed Immigration and Customs Enforcement brokers to a number of main U.S. airports following hourslong waits for vacationers due to the partial authorities shutdown.
In a Fact Social publish Wednesday, Trump blamed Democrats for the shutdown, which started Feb. 14.
“Thanks to our nice ICE Patriots for serving to. It makes an enormous distinction,” he wrote in his publish. “I could name up the Nationwide Guard for extra assist.”
Vacationers wait in line at a Transportation Safety Administration (TSA) checkpoint at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta Worldwide Airport (ATL) in Atlanta, Georgia, US, on Monday, March 23, 2026.
Elijah Nouvelage | Bloomberg | Getty Photos
Greater than 11% of TSA officers referred to as out on Wednesday and over 450 have give up because the shutdown began, the Division of Homeland Safety mentioned.
Elevated absences of Transportation Safety Administration officers, who’re required to work although they are not getting paid through the shutdown, have contributed to lengthy traces at main U.S. airports, together with in Atlanta, Houston and New York.
The DHS, which oversees each ICE and and the TSA, mentioned the ICE brokers will “help airports going through the best pressure” however the division did not reply to requests for touch upon what the ICE brokers’ duties are. ICE brokers are getting paid within the shutdown.
Airways have been warning prospects about doubtlessly lengthy safety traces, whereas executives develop more and more pissed off with lawmakers concerning the deadlock. On Tuesday, Delta Air Traces mentioned it suspended its airport escorts and different particular companies for members of Congress and their employees due to the continued partial shutdown of the DHS.
The shutdown comes as Democrats in Congress have demanded adjustments to how federal immigration enforcement operates in trade for releasing DHS funding after two U.S. residents have been shot and killed by ICE officers in Minneapolis.
