HUMSI — Human Security Initiative

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Woman handcuffed by plainclothes ICE agents who concealed badges at airport gate

August 18, 2026

Woman handcuffed by plainclothes ICE agents who concealed badges at airport gate

According to an airline gate manager, two men in plain clothes identified themselves only as federal officers and asked staff to summon a passenger to the gate. When the manager asked for identification, the men revealed previously hidden badges and said they were ICE agents; after the passenger approached, they took her into custody. The manager asked to see a warrant, and the officers presented an administrative warrant rather than a judicial warrant before handcuffing the woman and driving away in an unmarked vehicle.

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