ICE Arrests At San Francisco Airport Not Tied To Federal Agents Assisting TSA | EUROtoday

The Department of Homeland Security supplied extra readability on the arrests made at San Francisco International Airport (SFO) on Sunday night time, indicating that the incident was not tied to the Trump administration’s deployment of ICE officers to assist handle airport safety throughout the partial authorities shutdown.

“This arrest occurred BEFORE ICE officers were even deployed to bolster TSA efforts to help American travelers who are facing hours long lines across the country,” a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson mentioned in an e-mail after movies of the arrests started circulating on-line.

The footage confirmed plainclothes brokers holding down a screaming and handcuffed girl as a younger lady cried close by. San Francisco Police Department officers have been seen standing between the detainees and witnesses.

DHS claimed one of many arrested people tried to run away from brokers.

“On March 22, 2026, ICE officers arrested Angelina Lopez-Jimenez and Wendy Godinez-Jimenez at the San Francisco International Airport. The family has an outstanding final order of removal from an immigration judge since 2019,” the spokesperson mentioned. “While being escorted to the international terminal for processing, Lopez-Jimenez attempted to flee and resisted law enforcement officers. ICE is working as quickly as possible to repatriate the family unit to their home country of Guatemala.”

The circumstances main as much as the arrests weren’t instantly clear. State Sen. Scott Wiener (D) mentioned at a press convention Monday it was his understanding that federal brokers introduced a lady and her baby to the airport to place them “on a plane for deportation.”

San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie mentioned the airport arrest was “upsetting,” however emphasised that he and his employees “believe this is an isolated incident.”

“We have no reason to believe there is broader federal immigration enforcement at SFO,” Lurie mentioned in an announcement, including: “Under our city’s longstanding policies, local law enforcement does not participate in federal civil immigration enforcement.”

SFO isn’t one of many airports the place the Trump administration has deployed ICE brokers to help TSA amid the shutdown, which has snarled safety strains at airports whereas Congress spars over funding DHS. SFO is considered one of a handful of airports that use non-public contractors moderately than TSA staff to employees safety checkpoints.

While the incident at SFO seems disconnected from the ICE’s help with TSA, Trump on Monday described airports as “very fertile territory” for ICE officers to detain folks.

“I will move our brilliant and patriotic ICE Agents to the Airports where they will do Security like no one has ever seen before, including the immediate arrest of all Illegal Immigrants who have come into our Country,” he wrote on TruthSocial over the weekend.