TSA Official Says Agency Helps ICE Check Passenger Data During House Hearing

During a House Homeland Security hearing, Transportation Security Administration Acting Administrator Ha Nguyen McNeill said TSA is supporting Immigration and Customs Enforcement by checking passenger information, while rejecting claims that TSA sends all passenger personally identifiable information (PII) directly to ICE, according to FedScoop.

FedScoop reports the exchange took place during a House Homeland Security hearing on Jan. 21, 2026. In remarks quoted by the outlet, McNeill pushed back on the characterization that TSA provides passenger information directly to ICE, saying: “That is not what is occurring… We don’t send the information to ICE; we help ICE check against information.”

McNeill’s comments framed TSA’s role as providing support to other parts of the Department of Homeland Security rather than transferring passenger data wholesale. The statement distinguishes between sending passenger information to another agency and assisting with checks involving passenger information, without detailing the underlying systems or processes used to perform those checks.

The distinction drawn in the testimony focuses on the mechanics of access and verification: direct transmission of passenger PII versus assistance that allows ICE to check passenger information against other information. FedScoop’s report presents McNeill’s testimony as a response to claims about broad data sharing, while acknowledging some form of support for ICE checks.

The hearing also included broader framing of mission support within DHS. In another quote, McNeill said: “We are supporting the mission of our colleagues at the Department of Homeland Security, and that includes enforcement of immigration laws.”

The exchange highlights continuing scrutiny over how passenger identity information is accessed and used across DHS components, and how that information may intersect with immigration enforcement activities. The hearing and the statements come amid broader scrutiny of DHS data sharing and ICE’s expanding data sources.

Oversight debates over identity data access and use have also played out in adjacent DHS initiatives, including a privacy assessment focused on ICE and DHS facial recognition programs and discussion of TSA plans tied to a $5.5B airport screening overhaul with biometrics and AI, as well as proposals that would limit TSA facial recognition.

McNeill’s testimony, as reported, centered on disputing the claim of direct, comprehensive transmission of passenger PII to ICE while acknowledging TSA support for ICE checks. The hearing record and subsequent follow-up could determine whether additional detail is provided on what information is checked, how requests are made, and what safeguards or limits apply to those checks.

Sources: FedScoop

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By the ID Tech Editorial Team