Trump Airport Directive Leaves ICE Officials Scrambling: 'I Have No Idea What We're Doing'

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials were left scrambling over the weekend after the president abruptly ordered the agency to deploy officers to assist with airport security during the ongoing Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding standoff, according to a new report.

The directive, first announced by President Trump on social media, caught officials off guard and triggered a rapid effort to determine how — or even whether — the plan could be carried out.

"I have no idea what we're doing," one DHS source told CBS News, reflecting the uncertainty inside the agency.

The confusion comes as airports across the United States face mounting operational strain. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) staffing shortages, driven by missed paychecks during the partial shutdown, have led to rising absences, hundreds of resignations and extended wait times at major airports.

In some cases, delays have stretched to hours, with officials warning disruptions could worsen without a funding resolution.

President Trump said ICE agents would be sent to airports to "help our wonderful TSA agents," framing the move as a response to what he described as a breakdown in funding negotiations with Democrats.

Administration officials said the deployment could involve hundreds of ICE officers, though details remained unclear as planning continued. Border czar Tom Homan said Sunday that he was still working with ICE and TSA leadership to finalize the approach.

Homan indicated that ICE agents would not take on specialized screening roles, noting they are not trained to operate equipment such as X-ray machines. Instead, he said agents could be assigned to tasks such as monitoring entry and exit points or assisting with crowd control, allowing TSA officers to focus on screenings.

"Wherever we can provide extra security, I don't see an ICE agent looking at an X-ray machine," Homan said, adding that the plan remained "a work in progress."

The proposal has drawn criticism from labor groups and aviation stakeholders, who question whether immigration agents can effectively fill roles typically handled by trained TSA personnel. The union representing TSA officers said the move "does not fill a gap. It creates one," warning that ICE agents lack certification in aviation security.

The Flight Attendants Union also cautioned that introducing immigration enforcement into airport operations could create "contradictory missions" and distract from core security responsibilities.

A former senior ICE official told CBS News that while agents could provide a visible security presence, they are not equipped for technical screening duties and that other law enforcement agencies might be better suited to assist.