October 30, 2025
“Last night, I was made aware of an incident at the Salt Lake City International Airport where multiple plain-clothed ICE agents approached, forcibly detained, and removed a woman near the baggage claim area. I’ve watched what videos the public made of the incident, our responding SLCPD officer’s body camera footage, and airport surveillance footage, and I am left wondering and aching from the fear and pain these types of operations keep striking in my heart and the hearts of so many of us.
I do not know the reason for this detainment nor details about the individual, as we seldom do when ICE acts, but I do know that this incident has had a major impact on our community. There is so much about ICE operations that create a sense of fear, and we know we’ll likely never receive answers to our many questions that surround them. In this case, for example, why were the agents in plain clothes without visible identification? Why did they choose the lobby of the airport—the gateway to our state—where some 28,000 people enter every day? What I do know is that nothing about this incident, like so many ICE operations, makes me feel safer as an American.
I do want to address some misinformation that has circulated online. While we do not have all details of last night’s events, here is what we do know:
- The arrest occurred in the pre-security area of the airport, which is considered a public space, despite being in the airport.
- The operation was not directed by nor coordinated with the Salt Lake City Police Department.
- A Salt Lake City police officer was present after initially responding to what appeared to be a commotion in the terminal. Upon arriving, the responding Salt Lake City police officer requested and visually confirmed the agents’ federal identification.
- Local law enforcement is prohibited by federal law from interfering in federal immigration enforcement efforts.
- The City has requested more information from federal officials about the incident.
- In daily city operations when SLCPD arrests an individual for suspicion of a crime, that individual’s immigration status does not factor into how our officers handle a situation, nor do officers screen for immigration status when placing a person under arrest.”