Charlamagne tha God baffled as ICE agents at LaGuardia act ‘super nice’ like Chick-fil-A workers

WASHINGTON, DC: Radio host Charlamagne tha God said he was surprised by the unusually friendly behavior of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents at LaGuardia Airport, describing them as “super nice” and efficient—a sharp contrast to his past criticisms of the agency.

Speaking on Tuesday, March 31, during ‘The Breakfast Club’, Charlamagne recounted his experience at LaGuardia, where ICE agents were reportedly stepping in to handle duties usually performed by Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers, following staffing shortages caused by a recent government shutdown.

Charlamagne recalls surprising experience with ICE at LaGuardia

Charlamagne said the encounter happened while flying out of LaGuardia on Friday. According to him, ICE agents appeared to be filling in for TSA officers and managing operations at his terminal.

“When I flew out of LaGuardia Friday, I ain't see no TSA agents. ICE was doing everything,” he said during the show.

“When co-host DJ Envy asked about the experience, Charlamagne did not hold back his surprise. ‘I mean, they were great to be honest with you,’ he said. ‘Like to be honest, I'm just like, they were—and for that particular terminal I was flying out of LaGuardia… they were being extra nice like Chick-fil-A workers.’”

The comparison to Chick-fil-A, known for its friendly customer service, highlighted just how unexpected the experience felt for the host.

ICE fills in amid TSA shortages after government shutdown

The unusual airport scene comes after President Donald Trump signed an executive order over the weekend to compensate TSA officers affected by the government shutdown. While some TSA agents have started receiving pay again, staffing issues remain, with reports of employees quitting or calling out during the disruption.

As a result, ICE agents have stepped in at certain locations to help maintain airport operations, at least temporarily.

Charlamagne and his co-hosts discussed how quickly the effects of resumed paychecks could be seen, but ICE’s presence was still noticeable during his travel.

Charlamagne questions if friendliness is a ‘psy-op’

Despite acknowledging that the agents were professional and efficient, Charlamagne said the experience left him skeptical. Given his previous criticism of ICE and the Department of Homeland Security, he found it hard to reconcile the behavior he witnessed with his earlier perceptions.

“I was saying to myself, I'm like, ‘There is no way in hell this is the same ICE agents that was on the streets of places like Minnesota with the masks on,’” he said. “Like they not wearing masks, like they being super nice.”

He went on to suggest that the situation might be part of a broader strategy to influence public opinion ahead of upcoming elections.

“I think it's a psy-op for the midterms, right?” Charlamagne said.

He explained his reasoning, suggesting that positive public interactions in controlled environments like airports could shape how people view ICE in other contexts.

“Because if you put them in the airports, and they're super nice, and they're helpful, and they got things running efficiently, when he says we're going to have them at the polls in November, nobody going to think twice about it,” he added.