ICE ‘will not be sent here,’ KC says as Trump deploys agents to airports
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Kansas City says it does not expect ICE to be sent to MCI
- TSA contractors at KCI were paid via VMD and lines were not as long
- Trump’s airport deployment entered KC’s congressional campaign debate
A Kansas City spokesperson on Monday said he does not expect federal immigration agents at Kansas City International Airport as the Trump administration deploys U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to airports across the country.
“As of now, our local TSA staff have told us that ICE will not be sent here to aid them at MCI,” said Jackson Overstreet, a spokesperson for the city’s aviation department, referring to Kansas City’s airport code.
The comments from Kansas City come after President Donald Trump announced over the weekend that ICE agents would be deployed to U.S. airports to assist the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and ease long lines.
The push came amid a partial government shutdown and a broader fight over a deal to fund the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Tom Homan, Trump’s border czar, later confirmed the president’s announcement on Sunday.
In Kansas City, TSA screeners work as contractors with a company called VMD Systems Integrators, Inc. and have continued to receive payments throughout the partial government shutdown, Overstreet said.
“Because of that set up, our screeners have continued to be paid and have been working as scheduled and so our lines have been not nearly as long as other airports nationwide,” said Overstreet, who reiterated that Kansas City does not “anticipate ICE officers being sent here.”
Funding for DHS has roiled Congress over the last several months amid fury over the Trump administration’s aggressive crackdown on American cities and a pair of fatal shootings in Minneapolis.
In January, Kansas and Missouri lawmakers voted along party lines on legislation to fund the department. All nine Republican U.S. House members voted in favor of the package, while the three Democratic lawmakers from both states voted against it.
Trump’s deployment has also seeped into the upcoming race for Kansas City’s longtime congressional district. Missouri state Sen. Rick Brattin, a Harrisonville Republican who’s running to unseat Democratic U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, on Sunday expressed support for ICE agents being deployed in Kansas City.
“I fully support President @realDonaldTrump sending ICE to @Fly_KansasCity and every other American airport,” the Republican lawmaker wrote on social media.
This story was originally published March 23, 2026 at 12:23 PM.
