Overview
- A White House adviser said ICE personnel began work Monday at 14 airports and indicated additional deployments are planned.
- Officials stated the agents are handling non‑specialized tasks such as guarding exit doors rather than operating TSA screening equipment.
- About 50,000 TSA employees have not been fully paid since March 13, contributing to multi‑hour security lines and absenteeism averaging 10% and reaching 30% to 40% at some airports.
- DHS funding has been frozen since February 14 because of a congressional standoff over immigration enforcement practices, leaving key operations short of paid staff.
- Elon Musk has publicly offered to cover TSA salaries during the impasse, a proposal authorities have not acted on.