President of the United States, Donald Trump, has issued a new warning amid the political deadlock in Congress: he will send ICE agents to the country's airports if Democrats do not sign a security agreement.
In a social media message, the head of state assured that these agents will carry out security tasks "like never before," including the immediate detention of undocumented migrants.
Crisis at airports due to lack of staff
The threat comes in the context of a crisis caused by the partial government shutdown, which has already lasted more than a month due to disputes over funding for the Department of Homeland Security.
According to Reuters, thousands of Transportation Security Administration (TSA) workers have gone weeks without pay, leading to absences, delays, and long lines at airports across the country.
This situation has raised alarms about potential major disruptions to the airport system.
Proposal causes concern
The possibility of replacing TSA personnel with ICE agents has drawn criticism, as the latter are not trained for airport security functions, experts cited by Reuters say.
Civil society organizations have also warned of the risk of mixing security tasks with immigration control within airports, which could lead to immediate detentions and possible rights violations.
Political pressure and migration rhetoric
Trump's announcement is seen as a move to pressure Democrats amid the budget conflict, but also as part of his tougher immigration policy.
In his message, the head of state insisted that the goal is to ensure "safe" airports and strengthen control over irregular migration.
