The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has been in a shutdown due to congressional lawmakers failing to reach an agreement pertaining to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) reform and funding DHS. The shutdown began Feb. 14, 2026.
The Fiscal Year 2026 DHS Appropriations Act provides annual discretionary funding for DHS, which covers the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), U.S. Coast Guard and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The DHS Appropriations Act sets requirements and restrictions of the agency’s use of funds.
Democrats are hesitant to fund ICE and similar agencies without significant reform to their practices. In response, Republicans are refusing to pass the DHS Appropriations Act if it does not include funding for ICE and its other agencies.
The DHS shutdown surpasses 44 days, marking it as the longest government shutdown in United States history. TSA, U.S. Coast Guard and FEMA workers are still without pay and extremely understaffed; America is feeling the effects.
The most noticeable impact has been on airports. Major airports across the country are experiencing long security lines, flight delays and other adversities due to the lack of TSA workers.
TSA workers have reportedly been calling out sick, finding other means of employment or quitting because of financial issues, such as being unable to pay for food or rent.
Since TSA is essential to national security, they are not permitted to go on strike. However, nationwide, 11.8% of TSA officers did not report for their shifts on March 22, 2026, the highest call-out rate in TSA history.
Due to the chaos in airports, wait-times at major airports are reaching record-breaking times, going as high as four and a half hours.
On March 23, 2026, President Donald Trump sent ICE agents to airports across the country to assist TSA workers, creating more problems than solutions.
Heavy ICE presence has been reported in airports in the following cities: Atlanta, Chicago, Cleveland, Houston, New Orleans, Queens and Philadelphia.
The presence of ICE at airports has raised some concerns amongst the public. The most notable is that ICE cannot substitute for TSA officers and safety concerns for travelers in airports.
ICE agents were not required to go through the eight months of training necessary to become a TSA Officer. They are unable to perform safety checks, work at checkpoint or other tasks TSA Officers are trained to handle.
Some also fear that ICE agents will harass travelers for documentation and detain people without due process. Another issue with the public is ICE agents are still being paid through Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act, while TSA Officers are still missing paychecks.
Noor Badran, a third-year double majoring in both sociology and social work, is from Jordan. Badran describes how her father repeatedly walked her through the process of how to behave in airports.
“I think with airports already, we were taught a certain thing, but with American airports specifically, my dad had specific rules and told me about the whole process, and he walked me through it a bunch of times before I came [to the U.S.],” Badran said.
“I kept my hair very straight, I only had an American accent, very code switching, I was told to put a little makeup on, a little blush, very wide eyed, keep my sweet voice on, only speak Arabic when I’m at my gate, or in the food area if I have to. Don’t do it anywhere near entering or TSA. Make sure to say my name, very American, no rolling of the R’s.”
When asked about how she felt about ICE’s presence in airports, Badran explained that it was unnecessary and fear-inducing.
“I think that ICE is very unneeded in airports. I think that they are instilling fear into people and trying to use intimidation tactics. I understand that ICE was first implemented for questioning non-residents with criminal records or criminal activity … They are causing lines to grow, and making the airport scarier than they have to be,” Badran said.
She goes on to describe how immigration makes her experience at the airport more troubling and the profiling her brother goes through when travelling internationally.
“I think for me personally, immigration customs are the worst part of going through an airport, you are already being screamed at, my brother gets put into questioning rooms every time he travels internationally,” Badran said.
Badran went into detail about her concerns of ICE, specifically for herself and her peers at NC State, when asked if she feared that ICE would come on campus.
“Yes, especially my peers, which I know have had certain run-ins with ICE, and I know that ICE has been around campus; actually once when they were on campus, I was at Feed the Pack, because most people who come are international students. So, yeah, I am very worried for my peers and for myself,” Badran said.
With summer break on the horizon, Badran explained how she is worried about going back home with the presence of ICE in airports, and concerned about returning back to NC State in August.
“I think there are concerns about the fact, like, will I miss my flight? It’s also what extra documents do I need? Because with a lot of international students now, you need to make sure that you have your passport, your visa, your I-20, be able to call your school, whoever is dealing with your status as a student, and that’s a lot. That’s a lot because you’re already stressed. And to have all of those documents and ready to present them, if they’ll even allow you to present them and let you speak for yourself and if they even do the questioning process. So I think that’s a concern. It’s like should I even go, even though I would really like to go see my family?” Badran said.
ICE’s presence in airports is unsettling for travelers and may not cease anytime soon. On March 27, Trump signed an order to pay TSA employees, as soon as Monday. However, on March 29, according to White House Border Czar, Tom Homan, ICE could remain at U.S. airports after TSA workers get paid, depending on how many TSA workers return to work.
