ICE Arrested 800+ People Using TSA Traveler Data Since Trump Took Office, Records Show

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has arrested more than 800 people using traveler data shared by airport security officials since President Donald Trump took office, according to internal agency records reviewed by Reuters, revealing a broader use of aviation screening information for immigration enforcement than previously known.

The data show the Transportation Security Administration provided ICE with information on more than 31,000 travelers for potential enforcement actions through February 2026. The information came from the Secure Flight Program, which was created in 2007 to identify individuals on government watchlists as part of counterterrorism efforts, not routine immigration enforcement.

ICE and TSA, both part of the Department of Homeland Security, have historically shared intelligence related to national security threats. Under Trump's current term, however, that cooperation has expanded to support broader deportation efforts, with TSA data helping ICE determine when individuals would be traveling, as Reuters points out.

Reuters could not determine how many of the arrests took place inside airports, though recent incidents have drawn scrutiny. ICE officers have detained travelers in multiple cases, including a college student and a mother at major U.S. airports. Immigration attorneys told Reuters they were familiar with similar arrests, including a couple detained in front of their children and later deported despite pending residency applications.

The data emerge as U.S. airports face operational strain linked to the prolonged funding standoff which has affected the Department of Homeland Security. Thousands of TSA officers have been left unpaid, contributing to staffing shortages and long security lines. In response, the administration deployed ICE agents to assist at more than a dozen airports.

White House border czar Tom Homan said ICE personnel would remain in place until airports return to "normal operations," adding, "If fewer TSA agents come back, that means we'll keep more ICE agents there." Officials said ICE agents have been tasked with identification checks and monitoring entry and exit points, though questions remain about the scope of their authority.

Labor groups and TSA officials have raised concerns about the deployment. Everett Kelley, president of the American Federation of Government Employees, told NBC News recently that TSA officers undergo specialized training that cannot be replicated. "You cannot improvise that," he said.