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The President of the United States, Donald Trump, warned that he might order the deployment of agents from the Immigration and Customs Enforcement at airports if the Senate fails to approve an agreement to fund the Department of Homeland Security, amid a partial shutdown that is already affecting the airport system.
According to the AP agency, the warning comes after several days of fruitless negotiations in Congress, where the disagreement between Republicans and Democrats has hindered progress on a funding bill, leaving thousands of federal workers without pay.
Trump stated that ICE agents would be prepared to assume duties starting Monday, in case the legislative impasse continues.
The president suggested that this measure would enhance security at airports and help in the detention of undocumented immigrants within the terminals.
The announcement comes at a time when the Transportation Security Administration is facing increasing operational pressure.
Most of its employees continue to work without pay, which has led to an increase in absenteeism and forced the temporary closure of some checkpoints at key airports.
As a result, long lines and significant delays have been reported at several terminals across the country, with passengers arriving hours in advance to avoid missing their flights.
The situation has raised alarms about the system's ability to maintain adequate levels of security and efficiency.
The plan to incorporate ICE at airports also raises questions about how it would integrate with the functions of the TSA, which is responsible for screening passengers and luggage.
So far, the White House has not outlined how both agencies would coordinate or the specific scope of the new tasks.
In the background of the conflict are the differences regarding immigration policy.
Democrats have conditioned their support for funding on changes to the procedures of federal agencies, while Republicans insist on passing the complete budget without substantial modifications.
Trump has blamed the opposition for the lack of agreement and has stressed the need to ensure security at airports and borders.
Meanwhile, lawmakers from both parties are engaged in discussions to try to unlock the situation, although there are no clear signs of an immediate consensus.
As negotiations continue, the impact of the partial shutdown is spreading and threatens to worsen difficulties in air transport, increasing political pressure in Washington to reach a short-term solution.
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