Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents assisting at airport security checkpoints are being asked not to wear masks, President Donald Trump said Monday morning, as staffing shortages strain Transportation Security Administration (TSA) operations during the ongoing Department of Homeland Security shutdown.
Trump said last week that ICE agents would be deployed to help manage security amid a surge in TSA callouts. ICE agents began assisting at some major airports on Monday.
“I am a BIG proponent of ICE wearing masks as they search for, and are forced to deal with, hardened criminals, many of whom were let into our Country by Sleepy Joe Biden and his wonderful ‘Border Czar,’ Kamala (she never even went to the Border!), through their absolutely INSANE Open Border Policy,” Trump posted to Truth Social. “I would greatly appreciate, however, NO MASKS, when helping our Country out of the Democrat caused MESS at the airports, etc.”
The use of masks by ICE agents has become a point of contention in shutdown negotiations. Democrats have pushed to limit the practice, while supporters argue that face coverings help protect agents from being identified and targeted. ICE personnel have faced an increase in assaults in recent years, particularly during heightened immigration enforcement operations.
Former acting ICE Director Jonathan Fahey said the risk could be lower in an airport setting.
“I think there’s less of a danger in these situations […] because they’ll be functioning in a security role and most people will be welcoming their help to move the lines quickly,” Fahey told The Daily Wire.
Fahey added that masking is not unique to ICE, noting it is also common in drug enforcement operations where officers could face retaliation or doxing.
The ICE deployment comes as airports nationwide grapple with staffing disruptions. More than 300 TSA agents have quit since the shutdown began in mid-February, according to reports, and remaining agents are working without paychecks as essential employees.
Some airports have advised travelers to arrive significantly earlier than usual. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport urged passengers Monday to arrive “at least 4 hours early.”
The decision to send ICE agents into airports has drawn immediate pushback from Democrats, who say it could worsen disruptions. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) said the presence of ICE would “only aggravate delays & lines,” while raising broader concerns about enforcement tactics.
Shutdown negotiations remain stalled. The White House sent a counteroffer to the Senate last week, but progress has been slow. Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) has been the only Democrat to oppose the shutdown from the beginning.
The standoff comes at a pivotal time for the DHS, as Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) undergoes the confirmation process to succeed Secretary Kristi Noem.
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