HUMSI — Human Security Initiative

Human Impact Project

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

ICE mistakenly puts Indian national on Alaska flight during deportation

Jun 17, 2025 · Tacoma, WA, India

ICE mistakenly puts Indian national on Alaska flight during deportation

Rakesh Rakesh, an Indian national detained at the Northwest ICE Processing Center in Tacoma, was granted voluntary departure to India. On May 31, 2025, ICE officers escorted him to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and mistakenly placed him on an Alaska Airlines flight to Sitka, Alaska instead of his intended connecting flight through New York to India. Flight attendants alerted ICE officers to the error, but officers directed his boarding anyway. Upon landing in Sitka, the Alaska Airlines captain assisted Rakesh and arranged his return to Seattle. However, ICE re-detained him upon arrival rather than allowing him to continue to India. He remained in the Tacoma detention center for 16 additional days, during which he undertook a hunger strike, before being released and facilitated to depart for India on June 17, 2025.

Timeline

Jun 17, 2025Rakesh released from Tacoma detention center after 16 additional days in custody and facilitated to depart for India
Jun 1, 2025Rakesh landed in Sitka; Alaska Airlines captain assisted him and arranged return to Seattle
Jun 1, 2025ICE re-detained Rakesh upon arrival in Seattle instead of allowing continuation to India
May 31, 2025ICE officers placed Rakesh Rakesh on Alaska Airlines flight to Sitka instead of connecting flight to New York and India at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport; flight attendants alerted officers to error but boarding proceeded

Sources

More incidents in Washington