On Monday, two plainclothes ICE agents, dressed as travelers, detained a woman in front of her 9-year-old daughter in San Francisco International Airport (SFO). A video of the scene shows both the mother and child visibly distressed while the agents handcuff the woman. Observers recording the interaction repeatedly ask the officers to identify themselves by providing their badge number. The agents do not share their badges in the video.
It is haunting enough to watch a mother be forcefully detained in front of her child by two men who do not identify themselves. To add to that horror, the interaction displayed how other law enforcement agencies, both local and federal, collaborated with ICE throughout the detainment, even in a “sanctuary city.”
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is reportedly sharing information with ICE officials to support the detainment of undocumented immigrants. This information includes the names and birth dates of travelers that may have been ordered out of the country by a judge.
Additionally, the San Francisco police reportedly formed a barrier during the detainment between the crowd and the agents that may have violated “sanctuary city” laws. “Sanctuary city” laws say that city or county resources should not be used to assist ICE operations.
We see that “sanctuary city” policies mean nothing when police report to the scene. ICE still operates with free rein while local, state, and federal officers assist in the interaction. State agencies are also complicit — California Highway Patrol cleared protesters from ICE operations at Coast Guard Island near Alameda, California in October 2025.
We are sick and tired of watching innocent people be kidnapped by unidentified thugs. We oppose the evil global system that keeps immigrants living in fear when we know there are enough resources to go around. We can’t stand by while our people are kidnapped and our data is tracked!
