U.S. President Donald Trump instructed Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents on January 23 (local time) not to wear masks while deployed at airports nationwide amid the ongoing Department of Homeland Security shutdown.

ICE agents have been dispatched to airports to support the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) in addressing issues of long lines caused by staffing shortages and absenteeism.

ICE agents have typically worn masks during enforcement operations, a point of contention among Democrats and anti-ICE activists.

In a post on Truth Social, President Trump stated, "I am a big believer in the ICE agents wearing masks when they are searching for and dealing with hardened criminals. Many of these are people that have been brought into our country by Sleepy Joe Biden and his wonderful ‘Border Chief’ Kamala Harris (who has never even been to the border!) through their totally insane Open Border Policies."

However, President Trump added, "But I would prefer that they don’t wear masks when they are helping our Country with the chaos created by the Democrats in our airports, etc."

When asked by a reporter at Palm Beach International Airport in Florida earlier that day about whose idea it was to deploy ICE at airports, President Trump immediately replied, "It was my idea!"

The Department of Homeland Security shutdown, which began on February 14, reached its 38th day on Monday but shows no signs of ending soon.

Meanwhile, on social media, federal lawmakers being allowed to bypass long lines at airports through dedicated lanes are drawing public criticism. Netizens have expressed their dissatisfaction by posting memes suggesting lawmakers should wait until all airport passengers have completed their procedures, or by distributing AI-generated videos of specific lawmakers being arrested at security checkpoints.

Reporter Sung Ku Hong, NNP USA / Special Contribution NNP info@newsandpost.com