TSA-ICE Cooperation at Airports Leads to 800 Arrests in Expanded Immigration Enforcement Effort

WASHINGTON – Increased collaboration between the Transportation Security Administration and Immigration and Customs Enforcement at major U.S. airports has resulted in approximately 800 arrests of illegal immigrants and individuals with active warrants, according to Department of Homeland Security officials.

The joint operations, which ramped up significantly in recent weeks, involve ICE agents working alongside TSA screeners and CBP officers to identify and detain individuals encountered during the security screening process who are in the country illegally or have outstanding criminal warrants. The arrests include individuals with prior convictions for serious offenses such as assault, drug trafficking, and DUI, as well as those subject to final removal orders.

DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullins described the initiative as a necessary response to the partial government shutdown and ongoing border security challenges. “We’re using every lawful tool we have to enforce immigration law at every point of entry, including our airports,” Mullins said.

The program leverages existing federal authority at ports of entry and has been expanded to 14 major international airports where TSA and ICE now share real-time access to immigration databases during passenger screening. Officials say the cooperation has not slowed down security lines and has actually helped stabilize operations by reducing the number of unauthorized individuals passing through checkpoints.

The 800 arrests represent a sharp increase in interior enforcement actions at airports. Many of those detained had previously entered the U.S. illegally or overstayed visas and were attempting to board domestic or international flights.

This effort is part of the broader Trump administration push to restore interior immigration enforcement after years of sanctuary policies and reduced cooperation from some local jurisdictions. Vice President JD Vance and Border Czar Tom Homan have both emphasized that airports are a critical chokepoint for identifying and removing criminal aliens who have already entered the country.

The operations come amid the ongoing partial DHS shutdown, now in its eighth week, which began on February 14 over disputes regarding full funding for ICE. Despite the funding impasse, the administration has prioritized using available resources to maintain enforcement at key transportation hubs.

DHS officials say the TSA-ICE partnership will continue and may expand to additional airports as staffing stabilizes with the recent issuance of back pay to TSA officers. The program has drawn praise from law enforcement groups for closing loopholes that previously allowed illegal aliens to travel freely within the United States.

No official comment was immediately available from TSA Administrator Ha Nguyen McNeil, but agency sources confirmed the cooperation is fully supported at the operational level.

The arrests highlight the administration’s determination to enforce immigration laws at every level of the transportation system, even as Congress remains deadlocked on full-year DHS funding that includes robust ICE operations.