Austin airport says ICE agents are not expected at TSA checkpoints on Monday despite federal directive
What travelers at Austin-Bergstrom were told
Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) said it does not expect Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to be stationed at its Transportation Security Administration (TSA) security checkpoints on Monday, March 23, 2026, despite a federal push to deploy immigration personnel to some U.S. airports.
The airport’s position comes as travelers nationwide face uneven checkpoint operations tied to staffing shortfalls during the ongoing partial shutdown affecting the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). TSA screeners have been working without pay for more than five weeks, and absenteeism has increased at several large hubs, leading some airports to close checkpoints at times and to warn passengers to arrive significantly earlier than normal.
The federal move: why ICE is appearing at some airports
Over the weekend, the Trump administration said it would begin sending ICE personnel to airports starting Monday as TSA staffing gaps deepened. The stated purpose was to supplement checkpoint operations and reduce delays while the DHS funding lapse continues.
In practice, ICE personnel have not been presented as replacements for TSA screening functions such as operating X-ray machines. Instead, deployments described by airport and federal officials elsewhere have focused on tasks that can free TSA officers for screening duties, including ID checks, managing exit lanes, and other crowd-control or support roles within secure areas.
What is happening at other major airports
Monday’s rollout was visible in several cities. Federal immigration personnel were seen at airports including New York-area terminals and large hubs in the South and Texas, where some airports continued to report extended waits and intermittent checkpoint closures.
Operational details have varied by airport. Some local airport authorities confirmed receiving notice of ICE assistance at checkpoints, while other airports declined to confirm timing or specifics. The differences highlight that the federal directive has not translated into a uniform nationwide posture at every airport facility.
Why AUS may look different from other hubs
AUS is a federally regulated airport where TSA controls the screening function, but day-to-day checkpoint operations also depend on local facility layouts, staffing levels, and passenger surges. Austin has been preparing for heavy late-March travel volumes tied to spring break and seasonal events, with airport messaging emphasizing early arrival, checkpoint selection based on signage and staffing, and compliance with security rules.
Against that backdrop, AUS’ statement that ICE is not expected at checkpoints Monday signals that any federal augmentation, if it occurs at all in Austin, is not anticipated to take the same visible form reported elsewhere.
What travelers should expect Monday
TSA screening remains the controlling process for passenger security checks.
Checkpoint throughput can change quickly if staffing fluctuates.
Passengers should plan extra time during peak morning departures and follow on-site instructions if checkpoint configurations change.
Bottom line: ICE activity at airport checkpoints is unfolding unevenly across the country, and AUS says it does not expect ICE agents at its TSA checkpoints on Monday.