FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
Monday, March 23, 2026

CONTACT:
MayorPress@sandiego.gov

SAN DIEGO – Mayor Todd Gloria today issued the following statement in response to the deployment of U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents at airports across the country, ostensibly to augment U.S. Transportation Security Agency (TSA) personnel: 

“Sending immigration enforcement agents to secure our airports is the wrong approach to addressing TSA staffing shortages. ICE agents are not trained for aviation security and inserting them into that environment presents real risks to public safety and public trust.  

“San Diego is a proud binational region that relies on our airport to power our economy and serve millions of people each year. The presence — or even the threat — of untrained federal agents at airport checkpoints will only serve to further disrupt air travel and put passengers, workers, and our communities at risk. 

 “This situation is the result of a failure in Washington. A prolonged funding impasse has left TSA short-staffed at a critical time. Instead of improvising with untrained personnel, federal leaders should fund TSA now and continue negotiations on immigration policy separately. Our airports — and the people who rely on them — deserve real solutions.” 

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