Democrats condemned U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for arresting two individuals, including a crying woman, at San Francisco International Airport on Sunday. A viral video showed plainclothes officers detaining the woman in front of her daughter, sparking outrage among California Democrats who called for answers from federal authorities.
Key Takeaways
Democrats condemned ICE for arresting two individuals, including a crying woman, at San Francisco International Airport. A viral video showed plainclothes officers detaining the woman in front of her daughter, sparking outrage among California Democrats who called for answers from federal authorities.
- ICE arrested Angelina Lopez-Jimenez and Wendy Godinez-Lopez based on an outstanding removal order issued by an immigration judge in 2019
- The DHS claimed one individual attempted to flee and resisted officers while being escorted for processing
- California Democrats argued the video showed excessive force and would instill fear in immigrant communities
- San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie called the incident 'upsetting' but emphasized that it was an isolated event and would not change the city's sanctuary policies
According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), ICE arrested Angelina Lopez-Jimenez and Wendy Godinez-Lopez, stating they had an outstanding final removal order issued by an immigration judge in 2019. The DHS claimed one individual attempted to flee and resisted officers while being escorted for processing.
California Democrats argued the video showed excessive force and would instill fear in immigrant communities. Rep. Doris Matsui (D-Calif.) described the woman as a 'Sacramento mother' and demanded answers from ICE, calling their actions 'violent.' State Sen. Scott Wiener (D) held a news conference to denounce federal authorities' actions.
San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie called the incident 'upsetting' but emphasized that it was an isolated event and would not change the city's sanctuary policies. The San Francisco Police Department confirmed its officers were present only to maintain public safety and did not participate in the arrest, as per city policy prohibiting involvement in federal civil immigration enforcement.
The DHS clarified that this incident occurred before ICE officers were deployed to assist Transportation Security Administration (TSA) operations during the ongoing partial government shutdown. The arrests are not connected to Trump administration's plan to deploy ICE agents at airports to manage security lines amid staff shortages caused by the shutdown.
The Guardian reported that TSA agents reportedly tipped off ICE about Angelina Lopez-Jimenez and her daughter Wendy Godinez-Lopez after their immigration status was flagged. The Guatemalan nationals had been apprehended by U.S. Border Patrol in 2018 and received a removal order the following year.
According to The Guardian, ICE officers at JFK Airport, most of them Black and brown men, have been seen standing around looking at their phones, hiding their faces from cameras or breathing down the necks of TSA agents. A viral video showed a Black ICE officer at JFK Airport, with one post on X reading: “Stud ICE Agent is not what we mean when we say representation matters…”. On Sunday, just before ICE was deployed at several airports, a woman was arrested at SFO International Airport in San Francisco, and one of the main ICE officers detaining her appears to be an Asian man.
The incident drew widespread condemnation from Democrats, with Rep. Doris Matsui calling for answers regarding what she described as 'violent' treatment of a Sacramento resident. Concerns were also raised about potential violations of California's sanctuary policies by local police officers who assisted in maintaining order during the arrest.
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