US President Donald Trump has warned that he may deploy US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers to airports if Democrats do not agree to end the ongoing partial government shutdown.
In a post on his social media platform Truth Social on Saturday, Trump stated: “If the Radical Left Democrats don’t immediately sign an agreement to let our Country, in particular, our Airports, be FREE and SAFE again, I will move our brilliant and patriotic ICE Agents to the Airports.”
Trump indicated that the ICE officers would be responsible for airport security and would carry out “the immediate arrest of all illegal immigrants who have come into our country,” specifically referencing individuals from Somalia, a nation he has often criticised.
“I look forward to seeing ICE in action at our airports,” he added.
The partial government shutdown, which began in February due to disagreements between Republicans and Democrats over federal funding, has left Transportation Security Administration (TSA) staff working without pay.
Over recent months, ICE operations in several US cities have sparked controversy, drawing public criticism and opposition from Democrats, who have refused to provide additional funding for the agency without significant reforms.
Despite the shutdown, TSA employees, whose positions are considered essential, have continued to work at airports without pay. Senate Democrats have attempted to pass smaller bills to fund non-ICE agencies within the Department of Homeland Security, such as the TSA and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), but these efforts have been blocked by Senate Republicans.
