by Cassandra MacDonald Mar. 21

President Donald Trump has announced that he has directed Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to prepare to step in and handle airport security starting Monday if Congressional Democrats continue blocking full funding for the Department of Homeland Security.

The announcement comes after Trump’s warning earlier in the day that he would surge ICE agents to airports amid the ongoing partial DHS shutdown, which has caused unpaid TSA workers and travel chaos during spring break.

Senate Democrats, led by Chuck Schumer, have repeatedly blocked full funding bills, demanding major reforms and restrictions on ICE operations in exchange for approval.

In a Truth Social post Saturday afternoon, Trump stated:

The Radical Left Democrats have hurt so many people with their vicious and uncaring ways. What they have done to the Department of Homeland Security, our fantastic TSA Officers, and, most importantly, the great people of our Country, is an absolute disgrace. If the Democrats do not allow for Just and Proper Security at our Airports, and elsewhere throughout our Country, ICE will do the job far better than ever done before!

The Fascist Democrats will never protect America, but the Republicans will. Just like the Radical Left allowed millions of Criminals to pour into our Country through their ridiculous and dangerous Open Border Policy, the Republicans closed it all down, and we now have the Strongest Border in American History. Likewise, I look forward to moving ICE in on Monday, and have already told them to, “GET READY.” NO MORE WAITING, NO MORE GAMES! President DONALD J. TRUMP

Republicans continue to pressure Democrats to pass clean DHS funding without additional restrictions on immigration enforcement.

Nearly 400 TSA agents have already quit their jobs.

Hours earlier, on Saturday morning, Trump had issued the initial warning, writing:

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 where they will do Security like no one has ever seen before, including the immediate arrest of all Illegal Immigrants who have come into our Country, with heavy emphasis on those from Somalia, who have totally destroyed, with the approval of a corrupt Governor, Attorney General, and Congresswoman, Ilhan Omar, the once Great State of Minnesota. I look forward to seeing ICE in action at our Airports. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! President DONALD J. TRUMP

Schumer had not responded to Trump’s posts at the time of publishing.

The Gateway Pundit will continue to provide updates on the shutdown negotiations as they develop.

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2026/03/trump-ice-get-ready-agents-take-airport-security/