TSA Sharing Passenger Data with ICE Raises Concerns

The detention of a Guatemalan mother and daughter at a California airport highlights the Trump administration's expanded use of government databases for immigration enforcement.

Apr. 4, 2026 at 9:05am by Ben Kaplan

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A fractured, abstract painting depicting a TSA security checkpoint with overlapping, geometric shapes in shades of blue, grey, and white, conveying a sense of motion and surveillance.The expanded use of government databases for immigration enforcement at airports raises concerns about privacy and civil liberties.San Francisco Today

The Trump administration has been using a variety of government databases, including IRS tax data and Medicaid/Medicare rolls, to identify undocumented immigrants for deportation. This practice has raised concerns from immigrant rights groups and lawmakers about the government's growing surveillance capabilities and the erosion of privacy protections. The recent detention of a Guatemalan mother and daughter at a California airport, who had no criminal histories but were deemed deportable, is seen as a new phase in the administration's mass deportation efforts.

Why it matters

The use of government databases for immigration enforcement purposes has drawn criticism from civil liberties advocates who argue it represents an alarming expansion of surveillance and a violation of privacy rights. There are also concerns that the administration is targeting low-priority immigrants, like the Guatemalan mother and daughter, who previously would not have been considered deportation priorities.

The details

In March 2026, Angelina Lopez-Jimenez and her 9-year-old daughter were detained by plainclothes ICE officers at San Francisco International Airport, shortly before they were set to board a flight to Miami to visit family. Lopez-Jimenez and her daughter had a final removal order from an immigration judge issued in 2019, after they crossed the border illegally in 2018. Despite having no criminal histories and living in the San Francisco Bay Area for several years, the mother and daughter were deemed deportable under the Trump administration's expanded enforcement priorities.

  • On March 22, 2026, Lopez-Jimenez and her daughter were scheduled to board a domestic flight from San Francisco International Airport.
  • That night, plainclothes ICE officers detained the mother and daughter at the California airport.
  • On March 24, 2026, Lopez-Jimenez and her daughter were removed from the U.S. on a repatriation flight to Guatemala.

The players

Angelina Lopez-Jimenez

A 41-year-old Guatemalan woman who was detained with her 9-year-old daughter at San Francisco International Airport and subsequently deported.

Rep. John Garamendi

A Democratic U.S. Representative from California's Contra Costa County, where Lopez-Jimenez and her daughter lived.

U.S. Department of Homeland Security

The federal agency that includes the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

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What they’re saying

“We have moved into an era in which the government can have total knowledge of every single individual.”

— Rep. John Garamendi, U.S. Representative

“TSA, of course, is there for aviation security, not for immigration enforcement. ICE is there for immigration enforcement, not aviation security. So can roles overlap? Yes. Is it optimal? I don't think so.”

— John Pistole, Former TSA Administrator and FBI Deputy Director

What’s next

Senators Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff have sent an inquiry to the Department of Homeland Security, requesting more information on the data-sharing practices between TSA and ICE that led to the detention of Lopez-Jimenez and her daughter at the airport.

The takeaway

The detention of the Guatemalan mother and daughter at the airport highlights the Trump administration's expanded use of government databases for immigration enforcement, raising concerns about privacy rights, civil liberties, and the targeting of low-priority immigrants who previously would not have been considered deportation priorities.