ICE agents getting paid while TSA does not at Sky Harbor

PHOENIX – An ICE agent pointed travelers to their next destination at Security Checkpoint A in Sky Harbor Monday morning. The agent delivered his instructions matter-of-factly, ordering people to the next level of security. Travelers shuffled over to the podium and handed their identification over to a waiting TSA officer who scanned them using the Credential Authentication Technology scanner, known as a CAT. 

At first glance it was difficult to tell the two different agents apart, except for one crucial detail: The ICE agent waving them on was being paid, the TSA officer scanning the identification was not.

This sharp contrast has been a point of resentment for TSA union leaders, who are entering their sixth week without pay. 

“People don’t have people to watch your children,” TSA officer Pascual Contreras said. “They don’t have gas money to come in. Most of the kids, including my own, have been off for spring break. What are we supposed to do if we can’t provide for our children? If there’s no food at the house? If we don’t have the gas to put in our cars to come in?”

Department of Homeland Security funding lapsed on Feb. 14, following a failure in Congress to reach a funding agreement. The shutdown affects the Transportation Security Agency, Customs and Border Patrol and the Coast Guard. 

Half of the security checkpoints at Sky Harbor have been closed due to staffing issues. Roughly 20% of the TSA workforce at Sky Harbor called out yesterday, according to Contreras, assistant director of political and legislative affairs for the state of Arizona at the TSA union.

This is the second shutdown in less than six months. In October 2025, TSA agents worked for 43 days without pay during what would become the longest shutdown in U.S. history. Contreras said the repeated shutdowns were leading some TSA officers to hang up their uniforms.

“Experienced officers just say, ‘I’m done with this. I can go to any company and not have to deal with this. Not have to deal with the commute. The odd hours of coming in,’” Contreras said.

Even though half of the security checkpoints at Sky Harbor were closed due to staffing issues, ICE agents stood outside the Terminal 4 arrivals gate waiting to leave. 

“We found out we were coming here last night in an email,” said an ICE agent, who asked to not use his name for fear of retribution at work. “If anything we feel sorry for the TSA agents, they’re the ones not getting paid.”

The agents milled around near the designated smoking area clad in green vests with service pistols at their sides. After an hour of waiting, they eventually loaded into two white vans that came by to pick them up.

Mike Krivens waited near the agents in the ride share area of Terminal 4 arrivals. He just landed from a work flight from San Diego and said he had not experienced any disruptions.

“I see no ability for ICE to contribute to TSA, they have no ability to perform the functions of TSA,” Krivens said. “From managing a scanner to passenger pat-downs, there are many aspects of what TSA does that require training that ICE does not have.”

Rep. Greg Stanton, D-Phoenix, demanded President Trump accept a bipartisan deal to fund DHS separately from ICE and restore pay to TSA agents during a press conference at Sky Harbor.

“I don’t believe that ICE agents should be here at Sky Harbor or at any other airport,” Stanton said. “ICE is not trained to do the work of TSA agents. TSA agents are specially trained. They know what they’re doing. They’re outstanding at their work and they cannot be easily replaced by ICE agents.”

Stanton did not have any advice for travelers who were nervous about the presence of ICE agents at Sky Harbor. He instead deflected the question and directed people to the president. 

“It is completely unacceptable that someone who may travel for their job is not able to travel for their job because of the palpable fear of interaction with ice here at the airport,” Stanton said. “That is an untenable situation.”

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