Travelers at various U.S. airports have noticed the presence of federal border security agents in public areas, a development drawing attention as the midterms approach. The timing has drawn attention and led to speculation about possible federal interventions in the coming weeks.
Meanwhile, Steve Bannon has called for the deployment of ICE agents at the polling stations during the midterms in November. Bannon, a former White House chief strategist under President Donald Trump, continues to claim that the 2020 elections were stolen from Trump and that he will not allow another election to be stolen.
The partial government shutdown has caused travel delays at major airports where Donald Trump has deployed Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. Bannon, who wants Trump gone, described the deployment as a “test run” for the midterm elections, saying that the presence of agents at airports offers a chance to study and improve how ICE operates.
He spoke with MAGA figure Mike Davis, saying the experience is meant to help prepare for the 2026 midterm elections, even as travelers continue to face disruptions caused by the shutdown.
Steve Bannon: “We can use this, ICE helping at airports, as a test run, a test case, to really perfect ICE’s involvement in the 2026 midterms.
Mike Davis: “I think we should have ICE agents at the polling places”
Saying the quiet part out loud. pic.twitter.com/KardWXYjrq
— Republicans against Trump (@RpsAgainstTrump) March 23, 2026
Bannon said, “We’re not going to sit here and allow you to steal the country again. And you can whine and cry and throw your toys out of the pram all you want, but we will never again allow an election to be stolen.”
Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents are currently present at airports, and Bannon has indicated that the agency could also be deployed during the fall 2026 elections. The MAGA podcast host framed the deployment as a continuation of current ICE activity in public spaces. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt responded to questions about Bannon’s push for ICE at polling locations during the midterms, saying it had never been considered by the president.
Leavitt said,
“I can’t guarantee that an ICE agent won’t be around a polling location in November. (…) that’s frankly a very silly hypothetical question. But (…) I haven’t heard the president discuss any formal plans to put ICE outside of polling locations.”
ICE agents were observed patrolling major airport terminals on Monday, including Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport, John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey, George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, and Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport.
Trump warned on Truth Social on Saturday that if Democratic lawmakers did not approve a funding deal for DHS, which oversees the TSA, he would move ICE agents to airports, where they would carry out security in a way he described as unprecedented.
On Monday, ICE agents were seen patrolling terminals at several major U.S. airports, including those at Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International, John F. Kennedy International in New York, Newark Liberty International in New Jersey, George Bush Intercontinental in Houston, and Louis Armstrong New Orleans International.
Bannon calls Trump agents at airports ‘test run’ for 2026 midterms #AlterNet https://t.co/7E0LEAAsRf
— #TuckFrump (@realTuckFrumper) March 23, 2026
The partial government shutdown has increased challenges at busy airports, where Trump has sent ICE agents to assist with positions left unfilled due to absent Transportation Security Administration employees. Bannon said the deployment of ICE agents to airports is a test run for the elections, saying it provides an opportunity to evaluate and improve ICE operations.
Bannon and MAGA figure Mike Davis discussed the deployment and how it could be used for the 2026 midterms. Bannon said that training ICE agents to verify identification makes the deployment an important training tool, and Davis said that deploying ICE at polling stations is important because noncitizens do not vote in federal elections.
