Minneapolis Mayor, Jacob Frey, Criticizes Donald Trump Airport Security Plan Amid DHS Shutdown [WATCH]

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey criticized President Donald Trump’s decision to deploy Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to assist with airport operations, arguing instead that the administration should increase staffing within the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), despite an ongoing funding shutdown affecting the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

As Fox News reported, Frey made the remarks during an appearance on MS NOW’s “The Weekend,” where he questioned the effectiveness of the president’s approach to airport security and staffing shortages.

“When he says that he’s going to do security like no one has ever seen before, he doesn’t actually mean that he’s going to keep people secure,” Frey said.

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He suggested that hiring additional TSA personnel would be a more appropriate solution to address long lines and security concerns at airports.

“If the goal here was safety at airports, he could hire out more TSA agents that do an incredible job at keeping our airports safe,” he continued.

Frey’s comments came after President Trump announced that ICE agents would be deployed to airports nationwide to assist with growing delays and long wait times caused by staffing shortages.

The shortages have been linked to the ongoing DHS funding shutdown, which entered its 37th day on Sunday.

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Under current law, the president does not have the authority to hire additional TSA agents without approval and funding from Congress.

The shutdown has affected multiple DHS agencies, including TSA, as congressional Democrats continue negotiations over immigration enforcement reforms.

While ICE agents can be deployed to support airport operations, they do not have the same training or responsibilities as TSA personnel.

The administration has used ICE officers as a temporary measure to supplement the existing workforce amid the disruption.

Frey also extended his criticism beyond airport operations, arguing that federal leadership should focus on broader public safety measures in coordination with local governments.

“If the goal was keeping our streets safe and our cities [safe], he would work with cities around hiring additional police officers and creating the kind of safety infrastructure that we need to keep people safe. But of course, we all know that’s not the goal,” Frey added.

“The goal is to terrorize people. And for someone that states that they care so much about bringing the economy back — causing a ton of fear in airports, preventing the kind of safe air travel that we need for commerce, is not a good mechanism to do it.”

Frey was not corrected on his statements during the broadcast.

Fox News Digital reached out to Frey’s office and MS NOW for comment, but did not immediately receive a response.

The prolonged DHS shutdown has had measurable impacts on airport operations across the country.

Thousands of TSA agents have been working without pay for more than a month, contributing to staffing shortages and declining workforce participation.

More than 400 TSA employees have resigned since the shutdown began, while additional workers have called in sick or declined to report for duty.

The resulting staffing gaps have led to extended wait times, with travelers at major airports experiencing delays lasting several hours.

The administration’s use of ICE agents is intended to address those shortages on a temporary basis while funding negotiations continue in Washington.

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