“Here’s an idea: Instead of sidelining TSA agents and sending ICE to harass travelers, the president should tell Republicans to stop blocking our bill to pay TSA.”
- Jeanette Thomas
- Mar 25
- 1 min read
Patty Murray, in the NYT, 3/21/26
Why are TSA employees sleeping in their cars to save gas money, while ICE agents are eating at high end restaurants, sleeping in hotels, and driving gas guzzling domestic SUV’s with heavy tinting? In Minnesota, employees who keep the service industry moving were (and still are) afraid to go to work at these restaurants and hotels. Observers were called to them on a regular basis due to the presence of ICE agents.
I don’t feel safer having armed ICE agents paid to drink coffee at airports while TSA agents take on second jobs to pay the bills.
How many salaries could $200,000,000,000 cover, instead of being used for a war most Americans don’t understand or support?
“Surely, the next thing people want after waiting hours in long TSA lines is to get wrongfully detained by ICE,” Senator Patty Murray, Democrat of Washington, said in a statement. “Here’s an idea: Instead of sidelining TSA agents and sending ICE to harass travelers, the president should tell Republicans to stop blocking our bill to pay TSA.”
NYT, March 21, 2026. (Emphasis added by me).
Sources:
ICE.USAjobs.gov for recruiting salaries and benefits
Description of some of the restaurants frequented by ICE in MN:
“Family-friendly sports-bar chain doling out burgers & comfort food in buzzy surroundings”. $20-30 pp
“Swanky American chain serving steak, chops & seafood, plus burgers, sides & cocktails”. $50-100 pp
Even when they were being paid, TSA employees making $50,000 per year (on average) were unlikely to be dining out regularly here.
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