Gallego Demands Answers on Republican-Caused Airport Delays, ICE Deployment to Phoenix Sky Harbor

WASHINGTON –Today,Senator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ)demanded answers from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on the administration’s decision todeploy ICE agentsto major airports, including Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport (PHX). Airport wait times have dramatically increased across the country as Republicans refuse to fund the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).
“Delays in our country’s airports caused by this shutdown are reaching crisis levels, including at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport (PHX), and the deployment of ICE agents to major airports across the country is fueling further chaos,”Senator Gallego wrote in a letter to outgoing DHS Secretary Kristi Noem.“The American people deserve to understand how President Trump’s obstruction and partisan politics is making their lives more difficult and putting them in harm’s way.”
Senator Gallego’s letter emphasizes that Republicans blocked Democrats’attemptsto fund all DHS component agencies—including the Transportation Security Administration (TSA)—with the exception of ICE and CBP to give lawmakers time to negotiate ICE reforms following the killing of two U.S. citizens. President Trump has also rejected Senate Majority Leader John Thune’seffortsto reopen TSA and other essential DHS operations, playing partisan politics with Americans’ safety.
In his letter, Gallego called for answers about staffing levels and wait times at PHX and the deployment of ICE agents to PHX, including:
Read Senator Gallego’s additional questions in the full letterHERE.