ROMULUS, Mich. (WXYZ) — Travel turbulence is hitting airports across the country, and the Trump administration is considering some controversial actions to ease the pain. Over the weekend, President Trump announced that ICE agents will be deployed to airports nationwide today if a bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security isn't passed.
The Senate failed to move forward with a funding bill for the fifth time this weekend, pushing the shutdown into its 38th day. That makes it the longest partial government shutdown in American History, and the effects are beginning to become widespread. Long lines are taking over airports across the country, as thousands of TSA agents are going into their fourth week without getting paid.
We know travelers right here in metro Detroit are concerned about the potential wait at the airport and are feeling the effects of the DHS shutdown.
Watch Brittany's report below
We know that ICE agents are being sent to at least 14 airports nationwide, but so far, we haven't seen any at Detroit Metro Airport. It's unclear what responsibilities they'll have or how ICE agents will assist TSA agents, but Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy says they can run the X-Ray machine and pat people down, adding that that's what those immigration agents do at the southern Border.
President Trump doubled down on Truth Social Sunday morning, saying that ICE will be sent to airports this morning to help TSA as the partial government shutdown continues. On Saturday, the President said in a post that he "looks forward to moving ICE in on Monday. Get ready, no more waiting, no more games." Nationwide, more than 3200 TSA workers called out this past weekend, and TSA line wait times are stretching into hours at some of the biggest airports.
TSA agents are going three weeks without a full paycheck, while lawmakers are at a standstill over DHS funding. Democrats are holding out, demanding changes to the department after ICE agents killed two people in Minneapolis. They want ICE agents to remove face masks, wear body cameras, require a judge-signed warrant to enter private property, and restrict raids at schools and churches. Over the weekend, Republicans shot down a Democrat-introduced bill to fund TSA paychecks. ICE agents are still being paid, with that funding secured in Trump's Big Beautiful Bill.
Here's what travelers dealing with the fallout said about the upcoming ICE deployment:
"That's fine with me," said Robert Vance, a first-time flier.
"We understand that the lines might be a little longer. We anticipated that this morning, that’s why we started off very early. We started at 2:30 a.m. for a 7 a.m. flight," said flier Scott Carter, who had no comment on ICE potentially being at airports.
"I don't think having masked agents in airports is going to calm anybody’s anything," said flier Ron Arnette.
"It’s a little nerve-racking. We didn’t know if they’re going to be here or not, and not that we have anything to hide, but the uncertainty of not knowing what to expect," said Jodi Arnette.
Lawmakers are expected to continue negotiations this week. Along with TSA, FEMA employees and the Coast Guard are going unpaid during this partial shutdown.
