News - SFO Arrests Unrelated to ICE-TSA Collaboration, DHS Clarifies

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has clarified details of recent arrests at San Francisco International Airport (SFO), distancing them from the Trump administration’s deployment of ICE officers intended to support TSA amid the ongoing partial government shutdown. According to a DHS spokesperson, the arrest of two individuals—Angelina Lopez-Jimenez and Wendy Godinez-Jimenez—occurred prior to ICE's deployment to assist with lengthy security lines. Video footage circulating on social media depicts plainclothes agents restraining Lopez-Jimenez amidst chaos, with a child in distress nearby. The San Francisco Police Department was also present. DHS reports that Lopez-Jimenez attempted to evade the immigration officers, a claim that accounts for the forceful detention. Both individuals have been under an outstanding final removal order issued by an immigration judge in 2019. DHS confirmed efforts are being made to facilitate their repatriation to Guatemala promptly. State Sen. Scott Wiener remarked that, based on preliminary information, the arrests were made in preparation for deportation. San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie called the incident 'upsetting' yet affirmed it as 'isolated,' asserting no indication of broader federal immigration enforcement taking place at SFO. The airport, employing private contractors for security rather than TSA personnel, is not among those employing ICE agents for TSA tasks. Despite appearing independent from ICE's current TSA collaborations, President Trump described airports as strategic points for immigration enforcement, suggesting increased security operations. These developments come as federal shutdown tensions escalate, affecting airport security operations nationwide.