College student and mother detained at airports after TSA shares 31,000 traveler records with ICE
Apr 7, 2026 · Washington, DC
The Transportation Security Administration has shared information on more than 31,000 travelers with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement from the start of Trump's presidency through February 2026, resulting in more than 800 arrests. The TSA's Secure Flight Program, originally designed for counterterrorism purposes in 2007, was repurposed to identify individuals for immigration enforcement at airports. Specific cases of airport arrests have drawn criticism, including a college student detained while traveling from Boston to Texas and a mother arrested at San Francisco International Airport. Democrats and immigration attorneys have criticized the data sharing and increased ICE deployments at airports.
Timeline
Apr 7, 2026—Internal ICE data reviewed by Reuters; reports document college student detention en route from Boston to Texas and mother arrested at San Francisco International Airport
Feb 28, 2026—TSA-ICE data sharing continues through February; over 31,000 travelers' records shared, resulting in 800+ arrests
Jan 20, 2025—Trump presidency begins; TSA begins sharing traveler records with ICE for immigration enforcement
Sources
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