US President Donald Trump speaks to the media as he departs the White House for Florida on March 20, 2026 in Washington, DC, US.
Nathan Howard | reuters
President Donald Trump threatened on Saturday to send federal immigration agents to US airports unless congressional Democrats agreed to immediately defund the Department of Homeland Security.
“I will lead our talented and patriotic ICE agents to airports where they will provide security like no one has ever seen before,” Trump wrote in a letter. satya social post. The Trump administration has faced heavy criticism for aggressive deportation tactics by Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol agents.
Trump claimed that ICE agents handling airport security would arrest immigrants who are in the US illegally, specifically targeting individuals from Somalia.
in a different Post Later in the day, Trump said he planned to move ICE agents into airports by Monday, and told them to “be prepared.”
“I’m looking forward to taking him to ICE on Monday, and I’ve already told them, ‘Get ready.’ No more waiting, no more games!” He has written.
The White House and DHS did not immediately respond to CNBC’s requests for comment.
A bipartisan group of senators met with DHS border czar Tom Homan last night to discuss additional immigration enforcement concessions made Friday by the White House in an effort to end the partial government shutdown. Politico reportedCiting the MPs present.
The Senate is in session Saturday and Sunday, working on other legislative issues, but it is unclear whether there will be further negotiations or a vote on the new DHS funding proposal.
The DHS shutdown has been less disruptive than last year’s record-long government shutdown. But because much of DHS is considered essential, employees have to work without pay.
The impact of funding shortfalls and pay cuts is being felt at U.S. airports, where Transportation Security Administration agents are quitting or calling in sick. DHS employees missed their first full payday last week.
The shortage of agents has led to long lines at security checkpoints, including in Atlanta and Houston, where spring break travel is in full swing.
Transport Secretary Sean Duffy said, “If there is no deal, you will see what is happening today, it looks like child’s play.” told CNN On Friday. Earlier in the week, Duffy warned that smaller airports could soon close completely due to staff shortages.
In a separate post earlier in the day, Tesla CEO and former Trump adviser Elon Musk said he would like to pay TSA officers’ salaries as the shutdown continues.
“I would like to offer to pay the salaries of TSA workers during this funding impasse that is negatively impacting the lives of so many Americans at airports across the country,” Musk, the world’s richest man, said in a statement. post on x. According to a recent report from the Associated Press, the average salary for TSA agents is about $46,000 to $55,000.
It is unclear how such a proposal would work.
Last year, Trump announced that a wealthy, anonymous donor provided $130 million to help cover the shortfall in military pay caused by the administration’s first government shutdown, the longest in history. That mysterious donor was Timothy Mellon, heir to a famous Gilded Age banking family, The New York Times later reported.
But Mellon’s donation turned out to be only $100 per service member. It costs about $6.4 billion to pay American troops every two weeks. and such donation may violate Anti Shortage Act, That prevents federal agencies from spending funds that have not been appropriated by Congress, the Times reports.
— Annie Nova and Dan Mangan contributed reporting