Which airports is ICE going to? What will agents be doing? What to know

President Donald Trump deploys ICE agents to help TSA as airport wait times surge during the partial government shutdown. President Donald Trump sent Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to airports around the country on Monday, March 23, as long security lines continue amid a partial government shutdown. Transportation Security Administration worker absences reached their highest levels over the weekend since the shutdown began in mid-February, according to the Department of Homeland Security. Officers have been working without regular pay, and more than 400 have quit, the White House said in a March 22 post on X. ICE agents were spotted at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and more. Here's where they're being sent. Which airports are ICE agents going to? Agents are being sent to the following 13 airports, CNN reported: * Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) * Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE) * Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) * Houston's William P. Hobby Airport (HOU) * John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) * New York's LaGuardia Airport (LGA) * Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY) * Luis Muñoz Marin International Airport in Puerto Rico (SJU) * Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) * Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) * Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) * Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT) * Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) The outlet noted that ICE agents' functions could vary by airport and deployment plans could change. However, the New York Times reported that ICE and Homeland Security Investigations personnel would be sent to a total of 14 airports (the outlet named multiple airports and cities on the list published by CNN, but did not include a comprehensive list). DHS Acting Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs, Lauren Bis, told USA TODAY that the agency would not confirm the locations of officers, citing "operational security reasons." Will ICE agents be wearing masks to hide their identity? President Donald Trump said in a March 23 Truth Social post that he is a "BIG proponent" of ICE agents wearing masks while doing immigration enforcement, but that he would "greatly appreciate" it if they did not wear them at airports. However, USA TODAY saw both masked and unmasked agents at JFK and ATL. How is ICE going to assist TSA? White House border czar Tom Homan told CNN's "State of the Union" on March 22 that ICE agents could help free up TSA agents from other duties. "I don't see an ICE agent looking at an X-ray machine, because they're not trained in that, but there are certain parts of security that TSA's doing and we can move them off those jobs and put them in the specialized jobs and help move those lines," he said. Instead, according to Homan, ICE agents are being used in support roles, such as guarding exits or handling non-screening tasks. That said, early on-the-ground reports from travelers suggest the impact is mixed, with some saying the presence of ICE agents isn't noticeably improving long wait times. Homan also noted that ICE agents generally receive a "high level" of training. "ICE agents are assigned at many airports across the country already, and they do a lot of investigation, criminal investigation on smuggling at airports," he said. Will they be arresting people or conducting immigration enforcement? Based on what Homan told CNN, ICE agents deployed to airports are not supposed to be conducting broad immigration enforcement or randomly arresting travelers. The stated purpose is to assist with airport operations during the shutdown, not to screen immigration status. "This is about helping TSA do their mission and getting the American public through that airport as quick as they can, while adhering to all the security guidelines and the protocols," he said. However, it's important to note that ICE, as a law enforcement agency, has the authority to make arrests when targeting individuals already flagged in its system - for example, people with existing deportation orders or warrants. That means while everyday travelers are not being broadly checked for immigration status at TSA checkpoints, there is still a possibility of targeted enforcement at airports, which has raised concerns among civil rights groups and travelers. Will ICE agents get their regular pay while they work as TSA agents? Why pay ICE but not TSA? ICE agents are continuing to receive their regular pay because they are classified as funded, essential personnel within the Department of Homeland Security. TSA officers are also considered essential and must work during a shutdown, but they are not being paid because their funding is tied to the stalled appropriations process in Congress. The difference is in the funding structure. ICE has access to a much larger, longer-term funding stream, while TSA relies more directly on annual appropriations that have lapsed. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act gave DHS more than $170 billion in funding for immigration enforcement through 2029, including close to $75 billion for ICE. This story has been updated to add new information. Contributing: Ignacio Calderon and Lauren Villagran, USA TODAY Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at ndiller@usatoday.com.