Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers verify airline passengers at a security checkpoint at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Virginia, D.C., U.S., March 23, 2026. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst
An agent for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has some advice for federal agents stepping in to "help" with airport security.
Cameron Cochems, TSA Lead Transportation Security Officer and AFGE Local 1127 regional representative, told CNN that if Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) truly wanted to help the airport agents, then they should "buy us lunch."
Speaking with Boris Sanchez on Monday afternoon, Cochems explained that many officers have no choice but to call out because they can't afford childcare. So, Trump's promise of a $10,000 bonus may not necessarily be an incentive. He mentioned one mom in particular who couldn't work without pay the last time. When others received bonuses, it put them in a better position to do so this time. But the TSA mom that he cited doesn't have that as an option.
He said that if Trump wanted to give people bonuses, they should be across the board because everyone is being hurt. One agent said he had his car repossessed because he couldn't afford the payments.
Cochems called out the idea of putting ICE in airports because tensions are already high. To make matters worse, he said that this is a huge opportunity for terrorists to act because the TSA is so short-staffed.
"But also, you know,you have to be pretty dumb tothink that the stuff going onisn't hurting security. You know, anyone with a brain right now knows that TSA officers aren't getting paid, that there are long lines at airports. And so if there's atime for an attack, it would benow, when we are at our weakest," he said.
President Donald Trump on Monday said he told Republicans in Congress not to take any deal with Democrats unless the pass the SAVE act to overhaul elections ahead of the midterms.
Democrats had offered a bill that would create a carve-out specifically for TSA to ensure they were paid, but Republicans refused to support it. While negotiating over the weekend, both Democrats and Republicans said they were close to an agreement, but Trump blew up the talks with his own demands.
"The best thing that they can do for us if they do come to the airports is to buy us food and lunches," Cochems said.