DHS dismantles illegal immigrant arrest controversy in San Francisco
"ICE officers arrested Angelina Lopez-Jimenez and Wendy Godinez-Lopez at the San Francisco International Airport. These illegal aliens had a final removal order of removal from an immigration judge since 2019," DHS specified on its social media.
An agent of the Department of Homeland Security, DHS (File).
The arrest of a woman by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents at San Francisco International Airport sparked a controversy on social networks about the deployment of immigration agents pushed by Donald Trump to reinforce TSA security.
The video, which went viral on social media, shows the moment ICE agents began handcuffing a crying woman Sunday around 10 p.m. inside the airport's Terminal 3.
During the operation, ICE agents drew criticism from some passengers who recorded the scene and shouted at them, as the woman continued to cry with a small child by her side. However, the Department of Homeland Security reported that the woman was part of a family of illegal Guatemalan immigrants who had deportation orders from 2019.
"ICE officers arrested Angelina Lopez-Jimenez and Wendy Godinez-Lopez at the San Francisco International Airport. These illegal aliens had a final removal order of removal from an immigration judge since 2019," DHS specified on its social media.
">This arrest of ILLEGAL ALIENS occurred yesterday on March 22, 2026 — BEFORE ICE officers were deployed to airports to bolster TSA efforts.
— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) March 23, 2026
ICE officers arrested Angelina Lopez-Jimenez and Wendy Godinez-Lopez at the San Francisco International Airport. These illegal aliens had a… https://t.co/Km8uoX9DJT
"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," it added.
In addition, DHS explained that while being escorted to the international terminal for processing, the woman attempted to flee and "resisted law enforcement officers."
An isolated incident
"We believe this is an isolated incident and have no reason to suspect broader enforcement action at SFO," Yakel said.
In that regard, spokesman Yakel noted that San Francisco Airport (SFO) is not currently listed as an ICE support service at security checkpoints, since its security agents are private contractors and not the TSA.
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