Trump orders ICE agents at airports to work maskless amid DHS shutdown and funding standoff.

President Trump directed ICE agents deployed to major U.S. airports to forgo wearing masks, despite previously supporting mask use during criminal enforcement. The move, announced on Truth Social, aims to address TSA staffing shortages amid a partial DHS shutdown caused by congressional gridlock. ICE agents are assisting with passenger flow and general security but are not conducting X-ray screening or immigration enforcement. Critics, including Democrats, unions, and civil rights advocates, argue the deployment risks traveler safety and civil liberties, especially after recent deadly ICE incidents. The standoff over DHS funding continues, with Trump tying it to the passage of the SAVE America Act and pushing for the elimination of the filibuster.