ICE agents deployed to airports, including Newark, as TSA staffing strained during shutdown

Booker condemns use of TSA workers, visits Newark airport amid staffing crisis

Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have begun assisting at airports across the country, including Newark Liberty International Airport, as Transportation Security Administration staffing shortages worsen during the partial federal government shutdown.

The Department of Homeland Security confirmed that ICE agents and other personnel were deployed to more than a dozen major airports this week to support TSA operations. The move comes as TSA officers, who have been working without pay since the shutdown began in mid-February, increasingly call out of work or leave their jobs.

Newark and Philadelphia are among the airports where federal agents have been sent, alongside hubs such as Chicago O’Hare, Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson, and New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport.

Federal officials said the agents are not conducting security screenings but are assisting with tasks such as monitoring lines and helping manage crowds near security checkpoints.

The staffing shortages have contributed to long lines and delays at airports nationwide. According to DHS data, the callout rate for TSA workers reached 11.76% on Sunday. Some airports have reported significantly higher absentee rates, including more than 40% in New Orleans and Atlanta, and more than 37% at JFK.

Passengers in recent days have reported waiting hours to pass through security as spring break travel adds to the strain.

The deployment of ICE agents has drawn criticism from some lawmakers and civil liberties groups, who questioned the appropriateness of using immigration enforcement personnel in airport security settings.

Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., called the situation “one of the most bizarre moments,” criticizing the ongoing funding standoff and the use of TSA workers as leverage in a broader immigration dispute.

“We all have principled fights over ICE, but what the Republicans are saying now is, well, we’re going to hold TSA hostage. We’re not going to pay them until you capitulate to what we want on ICE,” Booker said Monday. “We’re all just saying, pay TSA, pay FEMA, pay these organizations. Let’s continue to fight over here — but why are you dragging them in?”

Booker, who visited Newark Liberty International Airport to support TSA workers on Monday, added that the shutdown’s impact on frontline workers and travelers is being used as political pressure.

“They’re using the American people as leverage,” he said. “They’re going to say, we’re going to make your life miserable, try to blame it on you — capitulate to what we’re saying.”

“They are great people. They’re underpaid people — some of our frontline public safety workers — and they’re working without pay,” he said. “I’m going to Newark Airport to stand up for those TSA workers to get paid. Stop holding them hostage.”

The partial shutdown stems from a partisan dispute in Congress over immigration policy and funding for the Department of Homeland Security. Funding for DHS expired last month, and negotiations have stalled.

President Donald Trump said Monday that deploying ICE agents to airports was his idea, adding that additional measures could be taken if needed.

Federal officials said ICE personnel are not trained to operate screening equipment such as X-ray machines or magnetometers, which remain under the control of TSA officers. Instead, ICE agents are being used in supporting roles for crowd control and general security.

“If that’s not enough, I’ll bring in the National Guard,” Trump said.

The presence of ICE agents at airports has raised concerns among advocacy organizations. The American Civil Liberties Union said families traveling should not have to encounter armed immigration agents in airport settings, citing concerns about training and the potential impact on travelers.

New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill also has criticized the move.

“Every time Donald Trump gets involved, he creates chaos for the American people. This latest proposal is no different,” Sherrill said. “Trump’s ICE has a track record of making communities less safe, and sending untrained ICE agents to staff our airports is not an acceptable solution. Instead, it’s time for Donald Trump and Washington Republicans to do their jobs and fund TSA.”