Much is still vague Videos show chaos at US airports - now Trump is resorting to new measures
An immigration authority is to ensure security at airports - at least that is what US President Trump has in mind. However, much remains vague until a few hours before the start of the operation.
23.03.2026, 11:31
23.03.2026, 18:10
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- Republicans and Democrats have been arguing for weeks about the continued funding of the US Department of Homeland Security - and this is causing long waiting times at airports, among other things.
- Now President Trump wants to send ICE deployments.
- Is it just about shortening the hours-long waiting times - or about particularly rigorous immigration controls? An overview.
Nerves are on edge: among Democrats and Republicans because the continued funding of the US Department of Homeland Security is still not in place. And among airline passengers because they are waiting hours for security checks at some of the country's airports. Now US President Donald Trump is resorting to an unusual measure. An overview:
What is it all about?
There have been traffic jams at US airports for days: passengers in Atlanta and Houston, for example, also waited for hours for a security check on Sunday. In the days before, some people had already missed their flights despite having enough buffer time. Even passengers who pay for priority treatment were not immune to long queues.
The reason: due to the budget blockade that has been in place since mid-February, Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers are currently not being paid and many have called in sick as a result. According to media reports, they are in danger of missing their second paycheck at the end of the month.
And what is it really about?
At the heart of the matter is a dispute between Democrats and Republicans in the Senate that has been unresolved for weeks: The Department of Homeland Security is the only department still without a budget because Trump's party relies on the support of several Democrats for the vote. The Democrats are using the momentum to put pressure on the Republicans. They are complaining that the proposed budget does not take into account their demand for reforms in the deployment of federal security forces. The Republicans, however, are sticking to their previous position.
What is the situation at airports?
In fact, passengers sometimes need particularly strong nerves: passengers should be prepared for waiting times of 160 minutes, according to the website of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in the US state of Georgia on Sunday morning (local time). Meanwhile, at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, Texas, passengers waited 180 minutes in Terminal E for the security check, which usually took a few minutes - partly because the gates in other terminals remained closed.
According to CNN Airport Tracker, passengers also had to wait at other airports in the country, but for shorter periods of time. At John F. Kennedy and La Guardia airports in New York, the predictions were between 30 and 50 minutes. According to unconfirmed reports from passengers on X, queues at the latter airport stretched as far as the parking garage. In Dallas-Fort Worth, Denver and O'Hare in Chicago, passengers waited around 20 minutes for a security check. In Los Angeles, it took less than five minutes.
What does Trump have in mind now?
According to the president, the controversial immigration authority ICE should lend a helping hand to airport security. "On Monday, ICE will be on duty at airports to support our great TSA officers," he wrote on his Truth Social platform. The officers are to take care of security at airports "better than ever before".
The Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agency is primarily responsible for immigration control at US airports, while passenger security checks are the responsibility of the TSA. So far, ICE officers have mainly been deployed in the interior of the country to deport undocumented migrants.
How many people actually enter the USA without the necessary papers is open to question: In addition to passport control by the Border Patrol, airlines check at check-in whether travelers can present all the required documents. If this is not the case, they will not be allowed to fly.
What exactly is ICE supposed to do at airports?
According to Tom Homan, the Border Patrol commander responsible for ICE, ICE forces are primarily intended to relieve TSA employees of less important tasks. "We're just there to help the TSA do their job in areas where their specialized expertise is not needed," he said in an interview with CNN's "State Of The Union". This should allow for faster clearances at checkpoints.
Homan added that ICE employees should not operate X-ray machines, which are usually used to check carry-on baggage. "They're not trained to do that," he said, adding, "But there are tasks we can take on to relieve TSA officers of less important tasks - like monitoring exits." He wanted to work out the exact plan with airport security on Sunday.
However, it remains unclear whether the forces will be deployed at all US airports or only at those with particularly long queues or chaotic conditions. The duration of the deployment was also not initially communicated.
