Here's a situation that's getting messier by the day: unpaid Transportation Security Administration workers are watching Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers show up at their airports—and getting paid for it. TSA union leaders are not happy about this development, to put it mildly.

At a virtual news conference hosted by the American Federation of Government Employees on Tuesday, union officials blasted President Donald Trump's decision to send ICE officers to selected airports. They called the move an "insult" and a "waste of money," arguing it will do little to cut the long security lines caused by the Department of Homeland Security shutdown.

The deployment comes as unpaid TSA staff shortages worsen at airports across the country. Hydrick Thomas, president of AFGE TSA Council 100 and AFGE Local 2222, framed the problem in practical terms: the administration is deploying a tactical force in a setting that requires specialized screening judgment and passenger assistance, not just a uniformed presence.

Think about it this way—airport security checkpoints aren't just about looking official. They require specific skills that take time to develop. Janis Casey, a regional vice president for the union, pointed out that checkpoint jobs require annual certification and recertification, something ICE officers don't have. Even White House border czar Tom Homan has acknowledged that ICE officers aren't trained to run X-ray machines or conduct screening; they'd instead help with peripheral security duties.

So what's really bothering the TSA workers? The money. Union officials noted they're particularly angered that ICE officers sent to airports are being paid, including travel costs, while TSA officers are still working without salaries. Aaron Barker, who represents TSA workers in Georgia, made the obvious point: the money being spent on hotels and daily allowance checks for ICE staff would be better spent paying screeners already on the job.

Meanwhile, the staffing crisis keeps getting worse. According to reports, more than 450 TSA officers have quit since the shutdown began, and over 10% of officers recently missed work nationwide. This is happening during a spring travel surge, which explains why airport delays are worsening.

The broader pay crisis remains the central issue. About 50,000 to 61,000 TSA employees are working without pay. Workers received only a partial paycheck at the end of February and missed a full paycheck in mid-March. Another paycheck is due this coming weekend, but its timing remains uncertain as lawmakers continue negotiations.

While all this is happening at airports, airline stocks have been moving in a different direction. Shares of Delta Air Lines Inc (DAL) were up 3.55% and United Airlines Holdings Inc (UAL) shares were up 1.64% over five days, following Trump's order of a five-day pause on planned U.S. strikes against Iranian energy infrastructure.

So you've got this strange disconnect: airline stocks ticking upward on geopolitical developments while the people actually running airport security operations aren't getting paid and are watching another agency's officers show up to help—or at least to stand around looking official. The TSA union's message is clear: if you want to fix airport security lines, maybe start by paying the people who actually know how to do the job.