What to Know
People have lots to say about Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents working in airports. President Donald Trump deployed ICE agents to multiple airports around the country on Monday, March 23, amid the ongoing partial government shutdown. A lot of travelers have questioned what exactly ICE is doing to help Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers. Of course, Trump took to Truth Social to defend his decision and the agents.
But instead of explaining what exactly ICE agents are doing to reduce the long wait times (you know, the reason Trump claimed they were sent there in the first place), Trump focused on how buff they are. Yes, really.
Trump said he’s “proud” of ICE.
He claimed that the general public loves them as well, and that any negative feelings that people have are due to “Radical Left Democrat politicians” who gave people a false impression. In his Truth Social post, he wrote, “I am so proud of our ICE Patriots! They were unfairly maligned by the Lunatic Democrats for years, and now, at the Airports, in addition to what they’re supposed to be doing, they are helping people with bags, even picking up and cleaning areas.”
He suggested that the work they’re doing in airports is improving their reputation. “They are so proud to be there!” he continued. “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. The Public is loving ICE, so the Democrats, unwittingly, did us a favor.”
And then he went on to talk about their muscles.
“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,” Trump added. Um, OK? He concluded with, “Thank you to ICE for the GREAT job you are doing. America very much appreciates it!”
It’s actually not the first time he has fixated on the appearances of officers and troops. Back in 2025, after he deployed National Guard troops to patrol Washington D.C., he told a group of troops and law enforcement officers that they were “healthy, attractive people.” Because how attractive they are is important, somehow?
People still aren’t sure what ICE is doing to help TSA.
This guy is at JFK airport & ICE agents were sent in & they’re literally just standing around eating & drinking watching the small amount of TSA workers who aren’t getting paid work their butts off! Trump sent them there just as a Tactic to try & get Democrats to vote yes on DHS. pic.twitter.com/l3P37sKw3I
— Suzie rizzio (@Suzierizzo1) March 24, 2026
While Trump claims that people are “loving” the ICE agents who are currently working in airports, a lot of Americans are skeptical of and concerned about their presence. Earlier this week, some travelers who saw ICE agents at the airport said it looked like they were “not doing anything,” per the Washington Post. One CNN producer reported seeing them talking to each other, walking around, and getting food.
Meanwhile, someone on X wrote, “They’re literally just standing around eating & drinking watching the small amount of TSA workers who aren’t getting paid work their butts off!”
Per CNN, ICE agents are not trained in doing TSA’s security work. At some airports, they’ve reportedly started helping with ID and travel document checks, crowd control, and guarding entrances and exits, the New York Times reported.
Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Lauren Bis said, “The more support we have available, the more efficiently TSA can focus on their highly specialized screening roles to efficiently get airport security lines moving faster.”
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