Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers were confirmed to have been deployed to Chicago O’Hare Airport Monday, March 23, to aid Transportation Security Administration employees amid the ongoing partial shutdown.
The deployment has proved controversial among travelers and airport leaders alike as TSA workers continue to work without pay. The Trump administration said just over 10% of TSA staff did not show up for work Sunday as the funding lapse reaches its sixth week.
How much are ICE officers earning in comparison as they help out at airports across the country? Here’s what we know.
How much do ICE officers make?
The Department of Homeland Security is currently offering a yearly salary between $51,632 and $84,277 for one of the most standard positions with ICE as a Deportation Officer, with pay depending on education and experience. Benefits for the job include health, vision and dental insurance, retirement plans and paid parental leave.
A higher level job as a Detention and Deportation Officer lists pay between $109,383 and $177,767 per year, with similar benefits included.
Both jobs are associated with Enforcement and Removal Operations at ICE, which “enforces U.S. immigration law at, within and beyond our borders,” according to the agency’s website.
Directors, supervisors, instructors and investigators with ICE meanwhile appear to earn between roughly $106,000 and $228,000, according to jobs listed online.
ICE also announced last year that new recruits would receive:
Which airports have ICE officers been deployed to?
CNN reported that ICE officers are being sent to the following 13 airports:
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson confirmed Monday an estimated 75 ICE officers would be deployed to O’Hare to help with “non-screening support functions.”
How is ICE helping TSA at US airports?
Johnson said in his statement Monday: “ICE personnel deployed at O’Hare are expected to perform non-screening support functions, including monitoring exit lanes, making routine passenger announcements – such as reminding travelers to remove liquids from their bags – assisting with queue management and related activities intended to allow TSA officers to remain focused on passenger and baggage screening.”
He added that the “deployment and use (of) every tool” by immigration officers will be closely monitored.
White House border czar Tom Homan said ICE officers won’t be manning X-ray machines, but they’ll help with other work while continuing immigration enforcement operations.
“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,” Homan said. “We’re just simply helping our fellow officers at TSA.”
How long has the government been shutdown in 2026?
The current partial shutdown has gone on for 38 days, nearing the two-month mark as we near April.
The shutdown began Feb. 14 after the Senate failed to approve funding for the DHS, with the Senate failing to vote to end the shutdown four times.
This article originally appeared on Journal Star: TSA workers continue without pay at O’Hare. Here’s what ICE is earning
Reporting by Hannah Hudnall, USA TODAY NETWORK / Journal Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
