TSA Alerted ICE Before Mother and Child Detained at SFO

New report reveals TSA shared passenger information with immigration authorities prior to the incident.

Mar. 25, 2026 at 3:05am by Ben Kaplan

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A New York Times report states that Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officials alerted Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) before a mother and her 9-year-old daughter were detained at San Francisco International Airport (SFO) this week. The report raises questions about data sharing between federal agencies at airports.

Why it matters

The incident has drawn widespread attention and criticism, with concerns that the administration is targeting families rather than dangerous offenders. The new details about TSA sharing passenger information with ICE prior to the detention intensify these criticisms and raise fresh questions about how passenger data is used at airports.

The details

According to the New York Times report, TSA officials flagged Angelina Lopez-Jimenez, 41, and her daughter after they appeared on a passenger list for a Sunday flight from San Francisco to Miami. ICE agents then used that information to locate and detain them in Terminal 3 at SFO. Federal documents show a rapid sequence of events, with Lopez-Jimenez booked into a holding room at 10:51 pm on Sunday and then transferred to a hotel in Texas by 7:50 pm on Monday, before being put on a flight to Guatemala just over 5 hours later.

  • On Friday, TSA officials identified Lopez-Jimenez and her daughter on the passenger list for a Sunday flight from San Francisco to Miami.
  • On Sunday at 10:51 pm, after being detained at SFO, Lopez-Jimenez was booked into a holding room at the airport.
  • On Monday at 7:50 pm, Lopez-Jimenez and her daughter had been transferred to a hotel in Texas.
  • On Tuesday at 3:00 am, Lopez-Jimenez and her daughter were checked out of the Texas hotel.
  • On Tuesday at 8:55 am, Lopez-Jimenez and her daughter were on a flight from Harlingen, Texas bound for Guatemala.

The players

Angelina Lopez-Jimenez

A 41-year-old woman who was detained at SFO along with her 9-year-old daughter.

Transportation Security Administration (TSA)

The federal agency responsible for security screening at U.S. airports, which alerted ICE about Lopez-Jimenez and her daughter prior to their detention.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

The federal immigration enforcement agency that detained Lopez-Jimenez and her daughter at SFO after being alerted by TSA.

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What they’re saying

“The real story here is the way in which databases are being used.”

— Rep. John Garamendi

What’s next

The Department of Homeland Security said the confrontation at SFO was unrelated to the administration's broader plan to deploy ICE agents to airports to assist during TSA staffing shortages due to the partial federal shutdown. However, the new details about TSA sharing passenger information with ICE are likely to intensify criticism from Democrats and immigrant advocates.

The takeaway

This incident highlights growing concerns about how passenger data and information sharing between federal agencies like TSA and ICE are being used, especially when it comes to targeting families rather than dangerous offenders. It raises questions about privacy, civil liberties, and the appropriate use of government databases and resources.