Washington: US President Donald Trump has issued a stern warning to Democrats, threatening to deploy US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to airports if a resolution is not reached to end the partial government shutdown.

According to Anadolu Agency, Trump's declaration came via a post on his social media platform, Truth Social, where he insisted that the "Radical Left Democrats" must agree to a deal to ensure that US airports remain "FREE and SAFE." He suggested that ICE agents could assume roles in airport security and focus on the "immediate arrest of all illegal immigrants," particularly targeting immigrants from Somalia.

The statement comes as Transportation Security Administration (TSA) employees continue to work without pay due to the government shutdown that started in February. The shutdown persists as Republicans and Democrats have been unable to agree on a funding solution. Democrats have stood firm in their refusal to allocate additional funds to ICE without implementing significant reforms, especially after controversial ICE actions in various US cities.

During this prolonged shutdown, essential TSA workers have been performing their duties without compensation. Meanwhile, Senate Democrats have attempted to introduce targeted bills to secure funding for other non-ICE agencies within the Department of Homeland Security, such as the TSA and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), but these efforts have been blocked by Senate Republicans.