President Donald Trump said ICE agents will be sent to U.S. airports to help manage crowded security checkpoints, amid a funding dispute with the opposition Democrats.
"On Monday, ICE will be going to airports to help our wonderful TSA Agents," Trump wrote on Sunday in a post on his Truth Social platform.
The operation is to be overseen by controversial border czar Tom Homan, Trump added.
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA), responsible for passenger screening at airports, and ICE both fall under the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
The dispute between Trump's Republicans and Democrats is over DHS funding.
Several attempts to pass a new funding package in the Senate have failed to secure a majority, leaving some emergency services, including TSA staff at airports, without legal authorization for pay since mid-February.
Both parties have blamed each other for the resulting long queues at airport security checkpoints across the U.S., which have caused widespread travel disruptions.
As a result of the budget deadlock, officers are currently not being paid and many have taken sick leave.
Last year, Trump tasked Homan with overall oversight of his deportation policies. Even before taking office, Homan had signaled that the early days of the Trump administration would see actions designed to create "shock and awe."
At U.S. airports, the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agency is primarily responsible for immigration checks, while passenger security screening is a TSA responsibility.
Until now, ICE officers have mainly been deployed inland to carry out deportations of migrants without residence permits.
