Is ICE getting paid? Officers report to airports amid DHS shutdown

President Donald Trump ordered Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents into airports nationwide on Monday, March 23, as Transportation Security Administration officers − still unpaid during a partial shutdown − remain on the front lines of airport security.

Photos and videos of ICE agents at airports quickly spread across social media, prompting criticism that immigration officers are continuing to receive pay while TSA officers have gone without a full paycheck since late February.

TSA employees have already missed one paycheck since the shutdown began Feb. 14 and are set to miss another on March 27. ICE agents, by contrast, continue to receive regular pay because they are classified as essential personnel within the Department of Homeland Security.

Why is ICE funded while TSA is not?

Republican lawmakers last year passed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which funds immigration enforcement through 2029. The legislation provides $170 billion for ICE, more than double DHS's annual discretionary budget, allowing the agency to continue paying its officers during the shutdown.

The pay disparity has contributed to staffing challenges as more than 400 TSA officers have resigned, and thousands have called out from work because they cannot afford basic expenses such as gas, childcare, food or rent, DHS said in an emailed statement.

The agency said the ongoing ICE presence will "help bolster TSA efforts to keep our skies safe and minimize air travel disruptions," but the decision has drawn criticism from TSA employees and their union.

Everett Kelley, president of the American Federation of Government Employees, which represents TSA agents, condemned the move in a news release, arguing that ICE agents are not trained or certified in aviation security.

"TSA officers spend months learning to detect explosives, weapons, and threats specifically designed to evade detection at checkpoints − skills that require specialized instruction, hands-on practice, and ongoing recertification," Kelley said.

"You cannot improvise that," added Kelley. "Putting untrained personnel at security checkpoints does not fill a gap. It creates one."

When will TSA funding be restored?

Lawmakers said Tuesday, March 24, that momentum is building toward a deal to end the nearly six‑week shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security before Congress leaves for spring break on March 30, even as Trump said he would not be happy with “pretty much” anything lawmakers negotiate.

Contributing: Zac Anderson and Zachary Schermele, USA TODAY