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Trump Claims Credit for Deploying ICE to Airports, Cites Flawed Paperclip Anecdote

The reassignment during a DHS shutdown places immigration agents in security roles normally handled by the TSA.

Overview

  • Speaking before departing Florida for Memphis on Monday, Trump said "ICE was my idea" and described first consulting border czar Tom Homan.
  • He said he asked agents to remove masks, called them inappropriate, and used demeaning language about migrants while defending the request.
  • Reporters flagged his paperclip story as inaccurate, noting an 1867 patent for a bent‑wire clip and the later emergence of the Gem design in the 1890s.
  • Coverage reports ICE agents have been sent to 13 airports as the DHS shutdown disrupts normal screening operations.
  • The shift places an immigration‑enforcement agency into airport roles traditionally performed by the TSA.