A video showing immigration officers arresting a woman at San Francisco International Airport went viral online, sparking fear and anger, with many people linking it to Donald Trump’s move to send immigration agents to airports.

The video was filmed on Sunday night, around 10 pm, inside Terminal 3 of the airport. It shows officers from Immigration and Customs Enforcement trying to handcuff a woman who is crying. A young girl stands next to her, also in tears. Passengers nearby begin filming and shouting at the officers. 

The video came just as the Trump administration was preparing to send immigration agents to airports across the country to help with long security lines during the ongoing government shutdown. However, government officials have dismissed speculation that the incident is in any way related to that decision.

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“This is un-American,” one person is heard yelling. Another person filming the scene asks, “What is your badge number? What is your name?” as an officer holds the woman by the head.

‘Not linked to Trump’s airport plan’- What the Government says happened

According to a statement shared by the Department of Homeland Security, two people were arrested at the airport. One of them has been identified as Angelina Lopez-Jimenez.

Officials said she tried to run away while officers were escorting her to the international terminal for processing. DHS also said both people had already been ordered to leave the country in 2019 by an immigration judge.

In its statement, the department stressed that the arrest happened “Before ICE officers were deployed to airports to bolster TSA efforts.” It also said officers were “working as quickly as possible to repatriate the family unit to their home country of Guatemala.”

The viral footage led to fear and concern among viewers, especially because it came just hours after news broke that immigration officers would be sent to airports.

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Airport officials and city leaders tried to reassure the public that this was not part of a larger immigration crackdown at the airport. “The airport’s role is to ensure the safe and efficient operation of the facility for all passengers and staff,” airport spokesperson Doug Yakel said, according to the SF Chronicle. “We were not involved in or notified in advance of this incident. Airport operations continued without disruption, and there was no impact to flights or passenger processing.”

San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie also called the incident “upsetting” but said it appeared to be a one-off case. “We have no reason to believe there is broader federal immigration enforcement at SFO,” he said. “SFPD officers remained at the scene to maintain public safety and were not involved in the incident.”

Witness describes the scene

Speaking to the SF Chronicle, a local resident, Nellie Killian, said she saw the incident unfold near a baggage claim area. She had just stepped out of a restroom when she noticed people gathering around. “She was kneeling over a bench, and they had her sort of penned in, standing behind her,” Killian said.

The young girl was standing nearby, “crying hysterically,” she added. People around began recording the scene and questioning the officers. “They were saying, ‘How do we even know who you are?’” Killian recalled.

Airport officials and San Francisco police soon arrived. Officers did not take part in the arrest but helped manage the situation. According to Killian, officers eventually helped ensure no one interfered while the agents worked. “There’s a couple people who were sort of trying to comfort the child, and the police definitely separated those people from the child,” she said. “I think they intervened to make sure that no one could interfere with what was happening.”

Airport officials said they were not informed about the arrest in advance and were not involved in it. “The airport’s role is to ensure the safe and efficient operation of the facility for all passengers and staff. We were not involved in or notified in advance of this incident. Airport operations continued without disruption, and there was no impact to flights or passenger processing,” Yakel said.