Lauren Boebert Engages in Heated Online Exchange with Journalist Over ICE Presence at Airports

Republican Representative Lauren Boebert found herself embroiled in a contentious online exchange with a journalist concerning a video she shared about Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents at U.S. airports.

This week, the Trump administration dispatched ICE agents to over a dozen airports, coinciding with a Department of Homeland Security shutdown that has resulted in TSA staffing shortages and extended security lines across the nation.

In a video posted on Monday, Boebert expressed her approval of the deployment.

“So, President Trump sends ICE agents to the airports across the country, and while the rest of our country has three-plus-hour waits — thanks Democrats — Minneapolis airport’s TSA wait time right now is less than five minutes,” she stated in the video. “Called it.”

Her caption read: “You can’t make this stuff up!! ICE agents show up at airports, and suddenly TSA wait times in Minneapolis drop to less than five minutes! Called it!!”

However, journalist Billy Binion from Reason magazine challenged Boebert’s claims on X, stating, “‘You can’t make this stuff up!!’ is a funny way to start this because Lauren Boebert did, in fact, make this stuff up. ICE agents are not at the Minneapolis airport, where TSA lines have been consistently quick. We are living in an episode of Veep.”

A list of affected airports released by CNN did not mention Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport. Reports from FOX 9 indicated no visible presence of ICE agents at the airport on Monday morning. The Independent has reached out to the Department of Homeland Security for clarification.

Boebert responded to Binion’s critique on Tuesday, asserting, “I never said they were? Keep trying, tho.”

Binion retorted, “‘ICE agents show up at airports, and suddenly TSA wait times in Minneapolis drop to less than five minutes!’ Once again: ICE agents aren't in Minneapolis, where wait times were always brief. They didn't drop. Read your own post back to yourself slowly.”

Boebert shot back, “It’s not your fault. Our schools failed you.”

Binion labeled the exchange as “embarrassing,” commenting, “I know we’re desensitized to this, but it’s still deeply unserious that many sitting members of Congress spend their taxpayer-funded salaries chasing attention on social media and lobbing juvenile insults at strangers.”

Reactions to Boebert’s video were widespread, including from Democratic Representative Ilhan Omar, who remarked, “You just made this stuff up. ICE agents have not been deployed into Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport. Our airport security wait times are normally quick and have been throughout the Republican shutdown. Insanity.”

CNN reporter Andrew Kaczynski also criticized Boebert’s assertions: “She did make it up.”

Boebert responded directly to Kaczynski’s challenge: “What, exactly, did I make up, Andrew? Please be specific.”