Ronald Reagan International Airport on Oct. 6, 2025. (Greggory DiSalvo / Getty Images)
By Samuel Short July 29, 2026 at 4:50pm
For as many criticisms as the average American may have about the Transportation Security Administration — sometimes lampooned as “Thousands Standing Around” — the TSA is now working with Immigration and Customs Enforcement to apprehend anyone slated for deportation found in an airport.
ABC News reported Tuesday that arrests have taken place in nine states, totaling 27 instances across an unspecified time period.
The outlet indicated that arrestees are people who are residing in the United States on expired visas. The Department of Homeland Security gave a statement on those efforts.
“DHS reversed the horrendous Biden-era policy that allowed aliens in our country illegally to jet around our country,” a representative said.
“Under President Trump, DHS will no longer tolerate this. This administration is working diligently to ensure that aliens in our country illegally can no longer fly unless it is out of our country to self-deport.”
Buffalo-based immigration attorney Rosanna Berardi noted to CBS News how this process was different. For supporters of President Donald Trump’s agenda to combat illegal immigration, it’s a more efficient means of getting the job done.
“ICE is working with TSA and targeting people at check-in counters and gates, sidestepping the warrants and surveillance operations used in the past. There is no investigation or no home visit involved. It’s simply a name match at a checkpoint, and that’s what makes this approach so efficient for ICE and so unsettling for travelers.”
Do you want ICE to maximize deportations?
Legacy media outlets like The New York Times have tried contorting these efforts into a sob story, highlighting instances like ICE’s detaining of a Ugandan woman in a wheelchair with sickle cell anemia and an Ecuadorian au pair.
The New York Times reported collaboration between TSA and ICE began in May 2025, citing a Freedom of Information Act request by a government watchdog group, American Oversight, which revealed information sharing between the agencies.
Charles Kuck, an Atlanta-based attorney representing an Indian man working as an engineer who was detained, claimed, “In 38 years practicing immigration law, I had never seen this.”
“And I know it’s happening to lots of people.”
Whatever avenues are available, ICE must pursue them.
The left would desperately like you to believe the people being detained are good, honest, and educated individuals looking for a better life.
The Department of Homeland Security account on social media platform X regularly dispels that assertion. On Tuesday, the account made a post about a Guatemalan national who was arrested after being wanted for rape and indecent exposure.
Illegal alien wanted for SEX CRIMES ARRESTED by @EROBoston.
Rocael Ordonez-Cruz, from Guatemala, was arrested by Arlington Police for numerous sex crimes last month — including rape and indecent exposure.
The heroic men and women of ICE will NEVER stop arresting sickos like… https://t.co/WCqXqrCIAb pic.twitter.com/mrVpCFuh8O
— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) July 28, 2026
The account also posted a thread announcing the arrests of numerous individuals wanted for sex crimes.
Under @POTUS Trump and @SecMullinDHS, ICE is UNLEASHED to arrest and remove illegal aliens and make America safe again.
Just yesterday, @ICEgov arrested pedophiles, sexual predators, and other public safety threats:
— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) July 28, 2026
The men in question included a Mexican national convicted for sex acts with a 14-year-old and a Laotian convicted for first-degree rape and three counts of first degree sodomy.
Efrain Banuelos-Lopez, a criminal illegal alien from Mexico, convicted for lewd acts with a child under 14 years old with force in Norwalk, California. pic.twitter.com/4RBetzTBZg
— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) July 28, 2026
Sengkham Soumpholphakdy, a criminal illegal alien from Laos, convicted for first-degree rape and THREE counts of first-degree sodomy in Springfield, Oregon. pic.twitter.com/DROGBE85ba
— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) July 28, 2026
The left will keep up their narrative anyway.
They are detached from reality.
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Sam Short is an Assistant Professor of History with Motlow State Community College in Smyrna, Tennessee. He holds a BA in History from Middle Tennessee State University and an MA in History from University College London. The views expressed in his articles are his own and do not reflect the views or opinions of Motlow State Community College.
