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US: Hundreds of ICE Agents Deployed to Airports - The Reason

Published March 23, 2026, 14:14
US: Hundreds of ICE Agents Deployed to Airports - The Reason

The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency is deploying hundreds of agents to airports across the country to address major delays caused by staffing shortages. This deployment is due to the absence of unpaid security personnel, which has created serious problems for airport security. ICE and Homeland Security Investigations agents have been deployed to 14 airports, including Atlanta, JFK in New York, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Phoenix and Fort Myers. Atlanta Airport has advised passengers to arrive at least four hours early for their flights. President Trump said he supports ICE agents, but stressed that they should not have their faces covered during their assistance with airport security. Trump had threatened to deploy ICE agents to airports if Democrats did not agree to fund airport security. The airport crisis has caused turmoil in global energy markets, with oil prices falling after Trump's announcement of postponing attacks on Iran.