Despite an apparent bipartisan deal that would have funded the Department of Homeland Security, Donald Trump, because of his insistence on passing the Voter Suppression SAVE Act, and his apparent adherence to the Project 2025 goal to privatize the TSA, has sent ill-trained and poorly regarded ICE agents to complement security in 13 of the nation’s airports, including Phoenix’s Sky Harbor.
Liliana Soto, Press Secretary to Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs, responding to a request from Blog for Arizona on this move, commented:
“We are aware of the presence of ICE personnel at Phoenix Sky Harbor, tied to the partial federal government shutdown. Airport security operations should remain with properly trained TSA agents, not ICE, in order to maintain order and safety. The Governor’s Office will continue to closely monitor ICE’s presence at airports to ensure they do not create unnecessary chaos for travelers.
Last year, Governor Hobbs reached across the aisle and struck a bipartisan deal, passing a balanced budget and keeping the government open. She encourages President Trump to follow her lead, reach across the aisle and end the partial government shutdown.”
Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego, where Sky Harbor is located, issued the below statement on social media:
“The sole reason for this partial government shutdown is the Trump Administration’s reckless and irresponsible deployment of ICE and its refusal to accept measures of accountability. The Trump Administration would rather provoke than work to keep America safe. With this latest dim idea, it now wants those without proper training to secure our airports. TSA officers are well-trained on the specialized needs of airport security, and leaving this important job to amateurs creates a risk we should not tolerate at American airports.”
Members of Arizona’s Democratic Congressional Delegation also voiced their displeasure with the placing of ICE agents at Sky Harbor.
Representative Yassamin Ansari posted:
“Instead of giving TSA agents their paychecks so they can afford to live, Donald Trump and Republicans are sending ICE agents to airports. Democrats want to pay TSA agents who will keep you safe in the skies, not send in untrained, masked officers who will only make people less safe.”
Appearing in Tempe, Representative and former Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton spoke about the Trump and MAGA Republican created situation regarding the non-payment of TSA personnel.
“The obvious thing for them to do is immediately fund TSA. Please fund all the agencies in the Department of Homeland Security so we can continue these ongoing discussions about ICE. One should not be leveraged off of the other. We can do a deal on what we agree upon, and then we can move forward on the other things. TSA agents should be paid today.”
Senator Mark Kelly wrote:
“The chaos at airports could end today, but there is one person singlehandedly blocking the effort to get paychecks to TSA: Donald Trump. He refuses to accept a deal and would rather leave Americans standing in lines for hours.”
Senator Ruben Gallego issued a press release following sending a letter to soon to be departed Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, condemning Trump and MAGA Republican’s actions, offering:
“Delays in our country’s airports caused by this shutdown are reaching crisis levels, including at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport (PHX), and the deployment of ICE agents to major airports across the country is fueling further chaos. The American people deserve to understand how President Trump’s obstruction and partisan politics is making their lives more difficult and putting them in harm’s way.”
In his letter, Gallego requested responses to a series of questions regarding TSA staffing and the number who have come to work or have either quit or called out.
He also requested answers regarding the number of ICE agents being deployed, for how long, and who do they report to. He also asked:
“What guidance, policies, and procedures are in place for ICE agents assisting TSA personnel regarding the use of force and interacting with protestors or other members of the public exercising their First Amendment rights?”
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