HUMSI — Human Security Initiative

Human Impact Project

A living database documenting reported immigration enforcement incidents and their human impact.

Irish man detained by ICE at California airport after business trip

Sep 2, 2026·Location: San Jose, CA

Country of origin: Ireland

Irish man detained by ICE at California airport after business trip
Photo via Philadelphia Inquirer

Michael "Sandy" Sims, 42, a lighting technician for the entertainment industry born in Ireland and raised in London, was detained by ICE agents at the San Jose airport as he arrived for a business trip on September 2. Sims, who is married to a U.S. citizen and had an approved I-130 petition toward a green card, is now held at the Mesa Verde ICE Processing Center in Bakersfield, California. DHS claimed he faces a domestic battery charge in Nevada, but his wife and immigration lawyer say no record of such a charge exists and he has never been charged with a crime. Sims has worked in entertainment lighting since 2002, including on tours for Metallica, Usher, and Florence + the Machine.

Suggest a correction, comment, or update

Sources

More incidents in California