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🇬🇧 United Kingdom /Crime & Justice

Airline workers reportedly refuse to help US agents as Trump migrant crackdown accelerates

From The Guardian · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • Airline workers are reportedly refusing to assist U.S. agents in arresting immigrants at airports.
  • This comes as the Trump administration escalates immigration enforcement, leading to dozens of daily arrests.
  • Concerns are raised about the safety and legality of these encounters for both immigrants and airline staff.

The Trump administration's intensified immigration crackdown at U.S. airports is reportedly creating friction with the airline industry, as workers allegedly refuse to help federal officials apprehend individuals. These targeted individuals often have pending applications for visas, asylum, or green cards.

It’s not people with criminal records. You are talking about people with legitimate pending applications.

— Ghassan ShamiehGhassan Shamieh, a San Francisco-based immigration lawyer, described the individuals being detained.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) have reportedly increased their collaboration, leading to as many as three dozen arrests daily at airports last month. Reports indicate that those detained include individuals with legitimate pending applications, such as a former au pair and an asylum seeker with a serious medical condition.

While the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) stated its goal is to prevent undocumented immigrants from flying within the U.S., a specific incident in Dallas highlighted the resistance. A Southwest Airlines gate agent reportedly denied a federal agent access to a plane without a judicial warrant, and other airline employees allegedly blocked ICE from viewing a computer screen during passenger boarding.

This administration is working diligently to ensure that aliens in our country illegally can no longer fly unless it is out of our country to self-deport.

— DHS spokespersonA spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security explained the administration's objective.

Southwest Airlines stated it adheres to the law and has protocols for sharing customer information only when presented with appropriate legal documentation. Despite these measures, hundreds of arrests have occurred since TSA and ICE began their cooperation last year. Industry representatives have met with DHS to express their unease, and concerns about workplace safety and legal issues for flight attendants have been voiced.

The actions that federal enforcement authorities have taken in our workplaces have raised glaring workplace, safety and legal concerns for flight attendants.

— Sara NelsonSara Nelson, international president of the Association of Flight Attendants, wrote in a letter to carriers about the concerns.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by The Guardian in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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