President Donald Trump said he is considering sending the National Guard to U.S. airports, two days after his administration dispatched Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to several major U.S. airports after a partial government shutdown forced travelers to wait for hours.
In a post on Truth Social on Wednesday, President Trump blamed Democrats for the government shutdown that began on February 14th.
“Thank you to our amazing ICE Patriots for their support. It makes a huge difference,” he wrote in the post. “We might call in the National Guard for more help.”
Travelers wait in line at a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) checkpoint at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) on Monday, March 23, 2026, in Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
Ilya Nouberge | Bloomberg | Getty Images
The Department of Homeland Security said more than 11% of TSA employees were activated on Wednesday, and more than 450 have quit since the lockdown began.
Transportation Security Administration employees who are required to work without pay during the shutdown have increased absenteeism, leading to long lines at major U.S. airports including Atlanta, Houston and New York.
DHS, which oversees both ICE and TSA, said ICE officers “support airports facing the greatest stress,” but the department did not respond to a request for comment about ICE officers’ duties. ICE agents are getting paid during the shutdown.
Airlines have warned customers about potentially long security lines, but executives have complained to lawmakers about the impasse. on tuesday, delta airlines announced that it has suspended airport escorts and other special services for members of Congress and staff as DHS remains partially closed.
The closures come after Congressional Democrats called for changes to how federal immigration enforcement operates in exchange for defunding DHS after two Americans were shot and killed by ICE agents in Minneapolis.
