By Alexandra Skores, CNN

Washington (CNN) — Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have begun leaving some US airport security checkpoints, where they had been assisting Transportation Security Administration officers managing hourslong lines of passengers during the partial government shutdown.

Beginning last week, agents concluded their checkpoint duties at some of the 14 US airports where President Donald Trump deployed them on March 23.

Security wait times at many US airports dramatically increased after TSA workers stopped showing up to work when the government lapse in funding kept them from getting paid. The callout rates dropped once Trump ordered the department to pay employees using money from a sweeping domestic policy bill that was passed last summer.

Although not trained to do everything TSA officers do, ICE agents were checking identification at the beginning of checkpoints, managing crowds and even handing out water bottles to passengers waiting in lines.

At a City Council budget hearing on Wednesday, Philadelphia International Airport’s interim CEO and chief financial officer Tracy Borda said ICE agents will no longer be at the airport as of Thursday.

“The good news is, we’re at a point where we’re told that as of (Thursday), we won’t have any more ICE officers at the airport,” Borda said. “They should be gone. There may be other parts of the country that are still seeing lines. We’re not sure.”

Borda said when she was first notified ICE would be coming to the airport, she sent a letter to 17,000 employees notifying them that the agents would be present.

“We really had no issues,” Borda said, while discussing ICE agents’ roles at the airport.

Cleveland Hopkins International Airport told CNN ICE agents were gone as of last Friday.

At Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, agents were no longer assisting as of Monday, a spokesperson confirmed.

A Pittsburgh International Airport spokesperson also confirmed there were no longer ICE agents at the airport.

Other airports, including Houston’s William P. Hobby Airport and George Bush Intercontinental Airport; New York City area airports, John F. Kennedy International, LaGuardia and Newark Liberty International; and Southwest Florida International Airport in Fort Meyers directed CNN to the Department of Homeland Security or TSA for comment. Neither has responded to a request for information.

While ICE’s role in helping TSA at checkpoints is coming to an end, the agents still may continue to conduct enforcement operations in the terminals.

According to Reuters, tips shared by federal airport security officials led ICE to arrest 800 people from the start of Trump’s presidency through February 2026. The detentions, which come well before ICE was deployed to assist at checkpoints, illustrate the close relationship between the different parts of DHS.

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SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) - The Santa Barbara Botanic Garden is celebrating a major milestone, marking a century of preserving California’s native plants while advancing urgent conservation efforts.

From redwood groves to flowing streams, the garden has welcomed generations of visitors over the past 100 years, offering a living showcase of the state’s natural beauty. Guests say each visit brings something new – with spring blooms, shaded trails, and sweeping landscapes creating an experience that feels both vibrant and ever-changing.

This year’s centennial celebration highlights the garden’s long-standing role as a leader in native plant conservation. Scientists and educators say protecting these plants is essential to sustaining the wildlife and ecosystems that depend on them.

A key focus now carries added urgency: saving the rare Torrey pine. Found naturally in only two locations — near San Diego and on Santa Rosa Island — the species faces unique challenges, including the inability to preserve its seeds through traditional seed banking methods.

To help safeguard its future, the garden has established a dedicated conservation grove. Seeds carefully collected from Santa Rosa Island are being cultivated into young trees, creating a living collection that researchers say is critical to the species’ survival.

The effort is drawing attention from visitors, many of whom say the conservation work adds deeper meaning to their experience. Garden leaders note that more than 100,000 people are expected to take part in the centennial celebration, connecting the public directly with the mission of preservation.

As the garden honors its past, it continues to look ahead — inspiring exploration, education, and action to ensure California’s native landscapes endure for generations to come.

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By Donald Judd, CNN

(CNN) — First lady Melania Trump blasted “lies linking me to the disgraceful Jeffrey Epstein” in remarks from the White House Thursday, attempting to distance herself from the convicted sex offender while calling on Congress to hold hearings allowing his victims to testify on Capitol Hill.

“I have never been friends with Epstein. Donald and I were invited to the same parties as Epstein from time to time, since overlapping in social circles is common in New York City and Palm Beach,” the first lady said in remarks to reporters. “To be clear, I never had a relationship with Epstein or his accomplice, [Ghislaine] Maxwell.”

Melania Trump called on Congress to provide a forum for Epstein’s victims to testify on Capitol Hill.

“I call on Congress to provide the women who have been victimized by Epstein with a public hearing specifically centered around the survivors, give these victims their opportunity to testify under oath in front of Congress with the power of sworn testimony,” she said.

“Each and every woman should have her day to tell her story in public, if she wishes, and then her testimony should be permanently entered into the congressional record.”

This is a developing story and will be updated.

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