Many major U.S. airports are expected to have a visible ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) presence at security areas starting Monday, March 24, 2026, mainly to assist TSA during the ongoing DHS funding shutdown.

Quick Scoop: What “ICE at airports” means

  • This is about immigration enforcement agents (ICE), not literal runway ice or weather.
  • The move is tied to the DHS shutdown and long security lines, not a routine travel change.
  • ICE agents will be helping with crowd control and security support, with the administration also signaling stricter immigration checks.

Airports most likely to have ICE agents

Based on current reporting and briefings, these are the main hubs specifically highlighted for ICE deployment starting Monday:

  • Atlanta – Hartsfield‑Jackson (ATL)
  • Houston – George Bush (IAH) and Hobby (HOU)
  • New York – JFK, LaGuardia (LGA), Newark (EWR)
  • Los Angeles – LAX
  • Chicago – O’Hare (ORD)
  • Dallas/Fort Worth – DFW
  • Miami – MIA
  • Washington, D.C. – Dulles (IAD) and Reagan National (DCA)
  • Seattle – SEA

These are large hubs with heavy traffic and already‑reported long TSA wait times; ICE is being sent primarily where delays and staffing issues are most severe.

Here is the same list in table form:

[9][4] [4] [4] [4] [4] [4] [4] [4] [4]
Region Airport Code ICE presence likely?
Southeast Hartsfield‑Jackson Atlanta ATL Yes, specifically flagged in briefings.
Texas George Bush Intercontinental / Houston Hobby IAH / HOU Yes, listed among monitored hubs.
New York area JFK, LaGuardia, Newark JFK / LGA / EWR Yes, all three are on the live‑monitoring list.
West Coast Los Angeles International LAX Yes, large hub under active monitoring.
Midwest Chicago O’Hare ORD Yes, cited as an impacted hub.
Texas Dallas/Fort Worth DFW Yes, in the group of major hubs.
Florida Miami International MIA Yes, listed in deployment coverage.
Washington, D.C. Dulles / Reagan National IAD / DCA Yes, identified for live monitoring.
Pacific Northwest Seattle‑Tacoma SEA Yes, included in the hub list.

Airports that may not see ICE

Reports also note that around 20 smaller or privatized airports that do not rely on TSA screening in the usual way are not expected to be affected by this specific ICE deployment.

These are typically airports that use private screeners or different security arrangements, so the administration’s “send ICE to help TSA” order has less impact there.

If you want to know about a specific airport, share its name or code and I can narrow down what current reporting says about ICE presence there.

What this means for travelers

  1. Expect more uniforms at big hubs. You may see both TSA and ICE agents in and around security checkpoints and terminal entrances at the busiest U.S. airports.
  1. Longer lines are still possible. Even with added ICE manpower, DHS warns that wait times of 1.5–2.5 hours have already been recorded at some hubs during the shutdown.
  1. Immigration checks could feel stricter. The White House has framed this partly as tougher enforcement, so non‑citizens should carry valid documents (passport, visa, green card) and be prepared for questions.
  1. Your rights still apply. Legal experts and advocacy groups stress that you retain rights such as the right to remain silent and to ask if you are free to go in many ICE encounters, though details depend on where and how you are stopped.

Forum‑style angle & “trending topic” context

A lot of the “which airports will have ICE” chatter is happening on immigration news channels and social platforms, where people are swapping airport‑by‑airport reports in real time.

Some travelers welcome added security and hope it reduces chaos at checkpoints, while others—especially immigrants and dual nationals—are worried about profiling, device searches, and possible detentions.

From a practical traveler’s viewpoint , over the next few days it helps to:

  • Check your airport’s official site or social feeds for security wait times.
  • Arrive earlier than usual (2.5–3 hours for domestic, 3–4 for international) at the big hubs listed above.
  • Keep documents organized and accessible, particularly if you are not a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.

Bottom note: Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.