Trending Now - Trump Links DHS Funding to Passage of Voter Legislation
WHO:
President Donald Trump stated he would not sign any DHS funding deal unless Democrats approved the "SAVE America Act."
Senate Majority Leader John Thune discussed a potential off-ramp with Trump regarding DHS funding.
President Donald Trump
Senate Majority Leader John Thune
Tom Homan, White House border czar
Lauren Bis, Department of Homeland Security spokesperson
Everett Kelly, president of the American Federation of Government Employees
Senator Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska
Coalition of unions representing flight attendants and other workers, including the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA and International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers
WHAT:
Trump rejected a proposal to fund every part of DHS except for ICE, which was presented to him on March 22nd, 2026.
Trump stated, “I don’t think we should make any deal with the Crazy, Country Destroying, Radical Left Democrats unless, and until, they Vote with Republicans to pass ‘THE SAVE AMERICA ACT.’”
Trump indicated he would deploy ICE agents to airports "for as long as it takes" until Democrats agree to fund DHS.
Trump ordered the deployment of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to U.S. airports to assist the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) amid a government shutdown.
Hundreds of ICE officers were deployed to airports including Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Louis Armstrong International Airport in New Orleans, and George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston.
More than 11.5% of TSA officers called out of work on March 21st, 2026, the highest share since the shutdown began.
Some travelers at Hartsfield-Jackson faced wait times of up to six hours.
Trump stated he would not sign any DHS funding deal unless Democrats approved the "SAVE America Act," a voter ID and citizenship bill.
Trump directed ICE officers not to wear face coverings while working at airports.
WHERE:
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Atlanta, Georgia
Louis Armstrong International Airport, New Orleans, Louisiana
George Bush Intercontinental Airport, Houston, Texas
John F. Kennedy International Airport, New York City, New York
O'Hare International Airport, Chicago, Illinois
Newark Liberty International Airport, Newark, New Jersey
WHEN:
On March 22nd, 2026, Trump was presented with a potential off-ramp to the DHS shutdown.
March 22nd, 2026 - Trump announced the deployment of ICE agents.
March 23rd, 2026 - ICE agents were seen at various airports assisting TSA.
Funding for the Department of Homeland Security lapsed on February 14th, 2026.
WHY:
Trump aims to pressure Democrats into agreeing to fund DHS by linking it to the approval of the "SAVE America Act," which requires proof of citizenship for voter registration.
The deployment of ICE agents was a response to long security lines at airports due to staffing shortages caused by the DHS funding lapse.
Trump aimed to pressure Democrats into agreeing to fund DHS by linking it to the approval of the "SAVE America Act."
HOW:
Trump directed ICE officers not to wear face coverings while working at airports, stating he supports their use only when dealing with "hardened criminals."
ICE agents were deployed to assist TSA by guarding exit lanes and checking passenger IDs.
The deployment was part of a strategy to alleviate long wait times at airports during the government shutdown.
(UPDATED March 23, 2026 21:32 UTC)
Today, President Trump announced that he will not sign any Department of Homeland Security funding deal unless Democrats approve the "SAVE America Act," which requires proof of citizenship for voter registration. He rejected a proposal presented to him yesterday that would fund every part of DHS except for ICE, insisting that he would deploy ICE agents to airports "for as long as it takes" until Democrats agree. In a statement, Trump emphasized that he doesn't believe any deal should be made with what he called the "Crazy, Country Destroying, Radical Left Democrats" unless they vote with Republicans on the act.
--
(UPDATED March 23, 2026 17:47 UTC)
Today, President Trump announced the deployment of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to various U.S. airports to assist the Transportation Security Administration amid a government shutdown. Hundreds of ICE officers were sent to major airports, including Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International, Louis Armstrong in New Orleans, and George Bush in Houston, as the TSA faced significant staffing shortages. On March 21, more than 11.5 percent of TSA officers were absent from work, leading to wait times of up to six hours for some travelers at Hartsfield-Jackson. Trump has made it clear that he will not sign any funding deal for the Department of Homeland Security unless Democrats approve the "SAVE America Act," which focuses on voter ID and citizenship requirements. As part of this deployment, Trump directed ICE officers to work without face coverings while they assist TSA by guarding exit lanes and checking passenger IDs.