As the federal government shutdown enters its 44th day, a deepening divide in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has reached the nation’s airport security checkpoints. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents are now being deployed to perform duties typically handled by Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers—with one critical distinction: the ICE agents are still getting paid.
The deployment, ordered by President Donald Trump, aims to stabilize airport operations as TSA staffing levels collapse. According to DHS data, more than 50,000 TSA officers have gone five weeks without a paycheck, leading to over 450 resignations and thousands of daily “call-outs.”
A Growing Pay Gap
The crisis has exposed a significant compensation gap between the two agencies. While the average TSA officer earns between $46,000 and $55,000, ICE deportation officers earn between $51,632 and $84,277. Furthermore, ICE agents are often eligible for $50,000 signing bonuses, effectively doubling the total compensation of their TSA counterparts.
ICE agents at airports are currently tasked with guarding exits and verifying identification, allowing the remaining TSA staff to focus on technical security scans. While the President noted that ICE personnel may conduct immigration checks, he maintained that is not their primary focus at airports.
“Shutdown-Proof” Funding
The reason ICE personnel remain paid while TSA workers face financial ruin lies in the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act.” This legislation funneled $75 billion into ICE over five years, creating what the Cato Institute describes as a “shutdown-proof” funding stream. In contrast, TSA relies on standard DHS appropriations, which have been frozen since February due to congressional gridlock over agency reforms.
The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), which represents TSA workers, has condemned the move. AFGE President Everett Kelley argues that deploying ICE agents is a safety risk.
“Our members… deserve to be paid, not replaced by untrained, armed agents who have shown how dangerous they can be,” Kelley stated.
Systemic Budgetary Failure
The Senate is currently considering a proposal to restore TSA funding, though the deal notably excludes ICE operations. However, experts suggest the issue is deeper than the current political standoff.
Linda Bilmes, a public finance expert at Harvard University, describes the current situation as a symptom of a “broken” budgetary process. Bilmes notes that the “arbitrariness” of who is deemed essential—and who gets paid—has become a recurring feature of federal governance, with shutdowns now occurring multiple times a year.
