ICYMI: “Collins votes against paying TSA as untrained ICE agents deployed at US airports” [Maine Beacon]

Augusta, Maine - In case you missed it, Susan Collins sided with Donald Trump and Senate Republicans over the weekend to block a measure that would have ensured funding for TSA amid the ongoing DHS shutdown.

As Maine Beacon reports, Trump has started sending ICE agents into airports, despite warnings from lawmakers that ICE agents are not trained to perform TSA duties - raising concerns about increased disruption and chaos.

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Maine Beacon: Collins votes against paying TSA as untrained ICE agents deployed at US airports

By Channa Steinmetz

March 23, 2026

• U.S. Sen. Susan Collins voted with Senate Republicans over the weekend to block a measure that would have funded the Transportation Security Administration during the ongoing Department of Homeland Security shutdown, as airport disruptions grow during a peak travel season.

• The shutdown has given Pres. Donald Trump cover to send ICE agents into U.S. airports, where, he told reporters, the agents "love it because they're able to now arrest illegals as they come into the country." Lawmakers are warning that ICE agents are untrained to do the jobs of TSA and will likely cause more disruption, chaos and violence.

• Democrats proposed the standalone funding measure as the DHS shutdown stretches beyond a month. The funding bill would have ensured TSA workers continued to receive paychecks while lawmakers negotiate over immigration enforcement policies and funding for agencies including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

• The vote comes as Pres. Donald Trump has said he does not want a funding deal unless Congress first passes his version of the SAVE Act - a voter suppression bill backed by Collins that would make it significantly harder for millions of Americans to register and vote.

• Voting rights advocates warn the proposal would disproportionately impact many eligible voters, including naturalized citizens, rural residents, young people, low-income voters and married women whose current legal names do not match their birth certificates.

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