ICE Agents Arrest Mother in Front of Her Crying Daughter at San Francisco Airport

Viral footage of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents detaining a mother and her 9-year-old daughter at San Francisco International Airport (SFO) has ignited a firestorm over federal data-sharing practices. The incident, which occurred Sunday night in Terminal 3, highlights an increasing level of coordination between the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and immigration authorities.

At approximately 10:00 p.m. on March 22, ICE agents intercepted Angelina Lopez-Jimenez and her daughter, Wendy Godinez-Lopez, as they prepared to board a flight to Miami. Eyewitness videos shared on TikTok and X show Lopez-Jimenez in distress while officers applied handcuffs.

This arrest of ILLEGAL ALIENS occurred yesterday on March 22, 2026 — BEFORE ICE officers were deployed to airports to bolster TSA efforts.

ICE officers arrested Angelina Lopez-Jimenez and Wendy Godinez-Lopez at the San Francisco International Airport. These illegal aliens had a… https://t.co/Km8uoX9DJT

— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) March 23, 2026

According to a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) statement, the family has been subject to a final order of removal issued by an immigration judge in 2019. DHS officials reported that Lopez-Jimenez attempted to flee during the escort, leading officers to transport her via wheelchair to a processing center.

Internal documents obtained by The New York Times reveal that this was not a random encounter. TSA officials reportedly flagged the names and birth dates of the travelers two days before their flight. This information was shared directly with ICE, allowing agents to coordinate the arrest at the gate.

The arrest occurred against the backdrop of a partial government shutdown. While President Trump recently suggested deploying ICE personnel to assist with TSA staffing shortages, DHS clarified that this specific enforcement action was a standard civil immigration operation and unrelated to airport logistics.

The incident has strained relations between federal agencies and San Francisco leadership. Under the city’s “sanctuary” policies, local law enforcement is prohibited from assisting in civil immigration enforcement.

• Mayor Daniel Lurie: Described the incident as “upsetting” and “isolated,” reiterating that San Francisco Police (SFPD) were present only to maintain public safety and did not participate in the arrest.
• SFPD Statement: Confirmed officers responded to a 911 call but remained uninvolved in the federal operation, citing strict adherence to the City Charter.

Lopez-Jimenez, a native of Guatemala with no known criminal history, had been living in Contra Costa County. Following the SFO detention, the mother and daughter were moved to a holding facility in McAllen, Texas. Records indicate they were repatriated to Guatemala via Valley International Airport on Tuesday.

The TSA and SFO administration have yet to issue a formal response regarding the ethics of sharing domestic passenger manifests with enforcement branches for civil matters.