ICE agents patrol JFK Airport amid growing lines

Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News on Mar 23, 2026

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NEW YORK — Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents patrolled John F. Kennedy International Airport on Monday after President Donald Trump ordered them to assist Transportation Safety Administration screeners amid the ongoing partial government shutdown.

Small groups of ICE agents walked through JFK terminals as huge crowds lined up at security checkpoints during the morning rush hour.

The agents, who were not wearing masks, appeared to be assisting with crowd control, not checking identification or proof of citizenship.

Some agents stood alongside TSA agents as they checked passengers’ tickets and identification.

The Port Authority, which operates New York-area airports, confirmed the ICE presence at JFK and Newark.

“The Port Authority expects that any such personnel assigned to assist with passenger processing functions will be appropriately trained and focused on supporting screening operations, consistent with maintaining the safety, integrity, and efficiency of the security process at our airports and protecting the flying public,” a spokesperson said.

JFK, Newark and LaGuardia airports are among 14 busy airports nationwide where ICE agents were sent by Trump amid a monthlong standoff over funding for the Department of Homeland Security, which includes both ICE and TSA.

Passengers reported lines stretching of up to two or three hours at some JFK terminals, although wait times varied dramatically from terminal to terminal and at different times of the day.

Trump instructed agents not to wear masks, which they controversially wear while participating in his immigration crackdown.

LaGuardia was expected to be closed through mid-afternoon as officials investigated the runway crash of an Air Canada plane late Sunday that killed two pilots.

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