One idea the administration has is to assign ICE agents to jobs that would free up TSA employees to do security screenings. As an example, you could have ICE agents monitor airport exits that normally TSA agents would watch that would free them up to work elsewhere. We’re seeing hours-long waits to get through security at airports where large numbers of TSA agents, sometimes up to 40%, aren’t showing up for work because they’re not being paid. Funding for the Department of Homeland Security ran out more than *** month ago as Democrats protest the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement tactics. Border czar Tom Homan met with Senate Democrats on Friday as the two sides tried to compromise. The White House is agreeing to some of Democrats’ demands like body cameras, better identification of agents, and limiting arrests in hospitals and schools, but not committing to other asks like removing face masks. And requiring judicial warrants to enter private property. I’m trying to explain that the situation on the ground isn’t the same as it was in Minneapolis. You know, we’re doing target enforcement operations. Last week, Democrats unsuccessfully tried to separate funding for Homeland Security agencies like TSA, for example, and leave out money for immigration enforcement agencies. Republicans have said that funding should be all or nothing. Reporting in Washington, I’m Amy Liu.
Burning smell forces Newark airport control tower evacuation, briefly halting flights
Updated: 9:49 AM EDT Mar 23, 2026
Arrivals and departures were temporarily paused at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey on Monday morning after air traffic controllers evacuated the tower due to a burning smell coming from an elevator, the Federal Aviation Administration said.Related video above: ICE agents deployed to airports amid TSA staff shortagesIt wasn’t immediately clear what caused the issue, and the agency said it was determined that no fire had occurred. The delay lasted less than an hour, and no injuries were reported.During the pause, FAA staff relocated to a backup tower at the airport, according to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which operates the airport. They later returned to the primary tower.Earlier this month, four airports serving Washington, D.C., Baltimore and Richmond, Virginia, halted all flights for over an hour because of a strong chemical smell that was impeding air traffic controllers. Federal Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the source of the strong odor was traced to a circuit board that overheated and was subsequently replaced.The temporary pause at Newark Liberty was not related to a fatal accident at New York’s LaGuardia Airport on Sunday night. In that episode, two people were killed and several others were seriously injured when an Air Canada regional jet struck a fire truck on a runway while landing, officials said.
NEWARK, N.J. —
Arrivals and departures were temporarily paused at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey on Monday morning after air traffic controllers evacuated the tower due to a burning smell coming from an elevator, the Federal Aviation Administration said.
Related video above: ICE agents deployed to airports amid TSA staff shortages
It wasn’t immediately clear what caused the issue, and the agency said it was determined that no fire had occurred. The delay lasted less than an hour, and no injuries were reported.
During the pause, FAA staff relocated to a backup tower at the airport, according to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which operates the airport. They later returned to the primary tower.
Earlier this month, four airports serving Washington, D.C., Baltimore and Richmond, Virginia, halted all flights for over an hour because of a strong chemical smell that was impeding air traffic controllers. Federal Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the source of the strong odor was traced to a circuit board that overheated and was subsequently replaced.
The temporary pause at Newark Liberty was not related to a fatal accident at New York’s LaGuardia Airport on Sunday night. In that episode, two people were killed and several others were seriously injured when an Air Canada regional jet struck a fire truck on a runway while landing, officials said.