Trump praises ICE's ‘larger, harder muscles’ as he says Americans back agents at airports
WASHINGTON, DC: Donald Trump said that Americans want Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to be stationed at US airports.
His administration is expanding the program even further, despite a shortage of agents caused by limited funding for the Department of Homeland Security.
Trump defends ICE deployment at US airports
In a Truth Social post on Wednesday, March 25, the president applauded ICE agents for deploying to major airports nationwide amid staffing shortages tied to the partial government shutdown.
Absolutely right, Mr. President!
— Arkadalo ® (@Arkadalo) March 25, 2026
Our ICE Patriots are true American heroes! Showing up every day with pride, strength, and that unbreakable American spirit. pic.twitter.com/VsjVIJykxa
Trump claimed the public "is loving" his decision to deploy federal immigration agents to airports in the post, which also praised ICE officers’ physiques.
In Wednesday’s Truth Social post, Trump characterized ICE agents as “patriots” who have been “unfairly maligned” by Democrats.
“In addition to what they are supposed to be doing, they are helping people with bags, even picking up and cleaning areas,” Trump said about ICE agents at airports. “They are so proud to be there!”
“The fact is, they shouldn’t have to do this, but they are rehabbing a fake image given to them by Radical Left Democrat politicians,” Trump wrote.
“The public is loving ICE, so the Democrats, unwittingly, did us a favor.”
He added, “They are Great American Patriots, they just happen to have much larger, and harder, muscles than most — which is what they’re supposed to have. Thank you to ICE for the GREAT job you are doing. America very much appreciates it!”
Americans question ICE’s role amid airport staffing issues
Americans largely disapprove of the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement operations so far. Sixty-five percent of respondents in a PBS News/NPR/Marist poll released in February said ICE has “gone too far” in enforcing the nation’s immigration laws, up from 54 percent in June.
Sixty-two percent of Americans in the same poll said they believe ICE’s actions are making the country less safe, and 60 percent said they disapprove of the job ICE is doing overall.
In February, funding for the Department of Homeland Security, which includes the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), ran out.
This left hundreds of thousands of government workers working without pay.
It has been difficult for lawmakers on Capitol Hill to agree on ending the shutdown because Democrats and Republicans have different approaches.
Nearly 500 TSA agents have quit since the start of the shutdown on Feb. 14, acting TSA Administrator Ha Nguyen McNeill told a House panel on Wednesday.
The president deployed ICE agents to assist with airport security lines beginning Monday, March 23. “NO MORE WAITING, NO MORE GAMES!” he wrote in a Truth Social post announcing the change.
