John Fetterman says ICE has ‘enhanced’ airport operations amid DHS shutdown chaos

WASHINGTON, DC: Senator John Fetterman offered a rare note of approval for ICE officers on Friday, March 27, saying their presence at US airports appears to have improved operations during the ongoing Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shutdown.

The Pennsylvania Democrat’s remarks come as airports across the country continue to struggle with long lines, delays, and staff shortages, all tied to the prolonged funding standoff that has stretched for weeks.

John Fetterman says ICE role has improved airport operations

Speaking during an interview, Fetterman acknowledged that ICE officers stepping in at airports may have had a positive impact, even as broader concerns remain.

“It seems that it has enhanced some kinds of performance across there, yeah,” he said.

ICE officers were deployed to more than a dozen airports after shortages among Transportation Security Administration staff led to checkpoint closures and growing delays.

With many TSA workers going unpaid during the shutdown, absenteeism has increased, making it harder for airports to function normally. The additional manpower from ICE appears to have helped ease some of that pressure, at least in certain locations.

Shutdown strain grows as workers go unpaid

Despite being classified as essential workers, most DHS employees have continued working without pay as the shutdown drags on.

But that has come at a cost. More workers are calling in sick, adding to the strain on an already stretched system.

Relief may be on the way after Donald Trump ordered that TSA employees should receive pay despite the funding deadlock, a move aimed at stabilizing staffing levels.

Still, Fetterman made it clear that the situation has become increasingly difficult to defend.

He said it has become “harder and harder to justify this shutdown,” pointing to the real-world impact on travelers and workers alike.

World Cup travel fears raise urgency

One of Fetterman’s biggest concerns is the timing of the crisis, especially with major international travel events on the horizon.

“And now we’re 77 days out and this is still shut down,” he said. “And you have millions of people from abroad coming and millions of Americans joining these too.”

He added that the current airport chaos could become far worse under that kind of pressure.

“And it’s like, if you’ve seen the kinds of chaos at airports, I can’t even imagine - you have millions coming here for [the] World Cup and we are sitting on our hands.”

Political divide continues over ICE and funding fight

Even as Fetterman acknowledged some benefits of ICE’s presence, he maintained his support for larger reforms to the agency.

“As a committed Democrat, I want the same changes that every other Democrat wants to make on ICE,” he said in a previous statement. “We want to find a way forward to produce those changes but shutting down the government is the wrong way.”

The Senate passed a measure to fund DHS without including ICE and Border Patrol, but House Republicans rejected it and pushed forward their own version that includes funding for those agencies.

Meanwhile, Trump defended ICE officers on social media, saying they are “helping people with bags, even picking up and cleaning areas,” while arguing they are being unfairly criticized.