ICE Agents Could Stay at Texas Airports Even After Shutdown

(KNUE-FM) In the past few weeks, we have heard of ICE agents working at airports to assist TSA in Texas and across the country, but only time will tell if this is temporary or something that becomes more permanent.

Why ICE Agents Are Working at Texas Airports

According to NBCDFW, border czar Tom Homan said that ICE agents would remain at their posts until airports were able to resume regular operations. This comes just days after President Trump directed the Department of Homeland Security to pay TSA officers, as the partial government shutdown continues.

READ MORE: 8 TSA Banned Items Texans Need to Know

What Tom Homan Said About the Future

Homan was asked specifically if ICE agents would be leaving airports once TSA officers started getting paid again, his response was, “We’ll see.”

He went on to say that “It depends how many TSA agents come back to work, how many TSA agents have actually quit and have no plan of coming back to work.”

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Why TSA Is Facing Staffing Shortages

It’s reported that around 500 TSA workers have quit their jobs since the beginning of the shutdown. Also, thousands of TSA workers have called out of work as the shutdown continues and employees went without paychecks.

The shortages at TSA have created longer lines at some airports.

The DHS shutdown is now the longest partial government shutdown in U.S. history with no clear path forward for funding the department.

Only time will tell if ICE agents continue to assist at airports after the shutdown is over, although it’s anyone’s guess as to when the shutdown will finally end.