Overview
- After the Senate failed to advance a DHS funding bill, Democrats pushed to fund TSA separately and conditioned broader support on changes to immigration enforcement, including warrant requirements and visible identification for agents.
- Trump said on Truth Social he expects to deploy ICE on Monday if no deal is reached, but reporters and experts note it is unclear what roles ICE could legally or effectively perform at checkpoints.
- TSA absenteeism topped 9% for six straight days last week, peaking at 10.22%, and DHS says at least 376 employees have resigned since mid‑February as tens of thousands continue working without pay.
- Operational strain has produced hours‑long lines at some hubs, with Atlanta reporting waits up to two hours and Houston’s Hobby airport seeing more than half of scheduled TSA staff miss a shift on one day, and officials warn some smaller airports could close if shortages worsen.
- Union and agency figures suggest ICE agents might only manage lines or direct passengers to free up trained screeners, while separate stopgaps range from private contractor screening at about 20 airports to Elon Musk’s public offer to cover TSA salaries during the impasse.