U.S. President Donald Trump is threatening to deploy Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to airports across the country, escalating rhetoric over border security and immigration enforcement.

In a series of posts on social media Saturday, Trump accused Democrats of weakening national security amid a partial shutdown at the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees screening agents at airports across the United States.

The political dispute means agents of the Transportation Security Administration are not getting paid, prompting long lineups at major airports.

Trump said ICE agents could be sent in to take over airport security functions.

“If the Democrats do not allow for just and proper security at our airports … ICE will do the job far better than ever done before,” Trump wrote.

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He added that he has told ICE agents to “get ready,” signalling a possible move as early as Monday.

Trump also said ICE could carry out arrests at airports, including targeting undocumented immigrants, and made specific references to migrants from Somalia.

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B.C. woman and 7-year-old daughter detained by ICE in Texas

The comments come amid heightened tensions around immigration enforcement in the United States, including recent controversial ICE operations.

Earlier this year, the fatal shootings of U.S. citizens by ICE agents in Minneapolis sparked protests and political backlash, with local officials disputing federal accounts of the incident.

The incident intensified scrutiny of ICE’s expanded role in domestic enforcement and contributed to ongoing political divisions over immigration policy.

Trump has repeatedly defended ICE operations and signalled a willingness to expand their role, including deploying agents to major U.S. cities and potentially critical infrastructure.

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