Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, is expected to be present at U.S. airports, but what does this mean for California and travelers hoping to fly?
President Donald Trump announced that ICE would assist with airport operations starting Monday, March 23, as the Transportation Security Administration is facing staffing shortages due to weeks of unpaid federal workers, leading to long lines and delays nationwide.
“I look forward to moving ICE in on Monday,” Trump said on his Truth Social account on March 21, while blasting Democrats during a prolonged federal government shutdown that is affecting funding for the Department of Homeland Security.
“There are roles we can play to release TSA officers from the non-significant roles, such as guarding an exit so they can get back to the scanning machines and move people quicker,” White House border czar Tom Homan, whom Trump appointed to lead the operation, said. “We’re just simply helping our fellow officers at TSA.”
Here’s what we know about ICE showing up at airports on Monday and any effects on travel times.
How do I check TSA wait times?
TSA and Customs and Border Protection, or CBP, have wait times available for travelers to plan ahead, according to the Department of Homeland Security.
Charles M. Schulz-Sonoma County Airport and San Francisco International Airport use private security companies instead of TSA, so their wait times might not be affected by the shutdown.
California residents hoping to travel can check the My TSA app to check current security wait times.
AirlineAirport, a website that tracks airline news and updates, provides average wait times and current wait times for airports across the country, including five in California.
Wait times for some California airports from 11 a.m. to noon on March 23, according to AirlineAirport:
CBP has its wait times on its official site for land border crossings. San Ysidro, a heavily trafficked border entry for Californians, has a below-average wait time for most of the day, the site shows.
What airports are ICE agents going to?
ICE agents will be present at TSA checkpoints more than a dozen U.S. airports. USA TODAY has reached out to ICE and TSA for comment. The airports reportedly include:
While no California airports are listed, an incident captured on video by travelers at San Francisco International Airport, or SFO, appeared to show federal agents detaining a woman on March 22.
An SFO spokesperson confirmed to USA TODAY that they did not believe ICE would be at the airport and that the March 22 detainment was a separate enforcement incident.
Is ICE getting paid right now?
While TSA workers are not getting paid, ICE and other immigration operations are reportedly getting paychecks during the partial shutdown, thanks to an influx of cash from Trump’s big tax breaks bill last year, according to PBS.
ACLU responds to ICE at airports
The American Civil Liberties Union said in a March 22 statement that it’s the first time a president has sent armed ICE agents to airports to replace trained security agents, and the move will “instill fear in families and other travelers.”
“President Trump and his allies in Congress refused to fund TSA and manufactured a crisis at airports across the country,” said Naureen Shah, director of policy and government affairs for immigration at the ACLU. “Now, the president apparently wants to use ICE as his private security force, reminding all of us that ICE is not retreating from lawlessness but assigned at will by the president for political retribution.”
The ACLU said that noncitizens who do not currently have legal status should “consider the risks of flying, including on domestic flights within the US.”
What are residents’ and noncitizens’ rights?
Lawful permanent residents and visa holders also have significant rights at airports, though their situation is more complex.
They are generally required to answer questions related to their immigration status when entering the United States, but they still retain due process protections under the Fifth Amendment.
Noncitizens, particularly those without legal status, may face broader questioning from ICE. However, they still have key rights: the right to remain silent, the right to refuse consent to searches of personal belongings in some circumstances, and the right to request an attorney if detained.
USA TODAY contributed to this story.
Natassia Paloma may be reached at npaloma@gannett.com, @NatassiaPaloma on x; natassia_paloma on Instagram, and Natassia Paloma Thompson on Facebook.
Ernesto Centeno Araujo covers breaking news for the Ventura County Star. He can be reached at ecentenoaraujo@vcstar.com, 805-437-0224 or @ecentenoaraujo on Instagram and X.
This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: ICE agents deployed to airports How does it affect flights?
Reporting by Natassia Paloma and Ernesto Centeno Araujo, Ventura County Star / Ventura County Star
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