{"id":677092,"date":"2026-03-24T00:00:31","date_gmt":"2026-03-24T00:00:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/677092\/"},"modified":"2026-03-24T00:00:31","modified_gmt":"2026-03-24T00:00:31","slug":"congressman-christian-menefee-addresses-tsa-issues-at-houston-airports-after-reported-ice-involvement","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/677092\/","title":{"rendered":"Congressman Christian Menefee addresses TSA issues at Houston airports after reported ICE involvement"},"content":{"rendered":"

HOUSTON<\/strong> \u2013 Congressman Christian Menefee is calling on Republican leaders to end the ongoing federal government shutdown, citing major disruptions at airports and growing strain on federal workers. <\/p>\n

Menefee spoke Monday evening at George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), where travelers have faced long security lines and delays.<\/p>\n

R<\/b>EAD MORE: <\/b>ICE agents at Houston airports as TSA staffing shortage, causing delays<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n

The freshman congressman, who took over representing Texas\u2019 18th Congressional District less than two months ago, addressed concerns at Terminal A Arrivals near the Global Entry area at 5:30 p.m.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis shutdown is the fault of nobody else except members of the Republican Party in Congress and in the White House,\u201d Menefee said. \u201cThe Republican Party controls the White House. They control the House of Representatives, and they control the Senate. Yet hundreds of thousands of Department of Homeland Security employees continue to work without pay.\u201d<\/p>\n

Menefee highlighted the impact on airport operations, noting that absentee rates among TSA workers have reached over 42% at Bush Intercontinental and 47% at Hobby Airport. <\/p>\n

The press conference came after a directive from President Donald Trump to deploy U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to 13 major U.S. airports, including Bush Intercontinental and Hobby Airport, to assist with crowd management and security screening. <\/p>\n

Since the start of the shutdown five weeks ago, roughly 50,000 TSA employees have gone unpaid, and nearly 400 Department of Homeland Security staff have left their positions.<\/p>\n

Menefee framed the ongoing operational disruptions as a national security and public safety concern, stressing that immediate congressional action is needed to restore funding for essential agencies and alleviate the burden on travelers and federal workers alike.<\/p>\n

Other airports where ICE agents could be deployed<\/b><\/p>\n

According to CNN and other national reports,<\/b><\/a> immigration officers are being sent to at least 14 major U.S. airports, including:<\/b><\/p>\n