ICE Expands Airport Arrests Using TSA Passenger Data

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is using passenger information collected by the Transportation Security Administration to locate noncitizens at airport check-in counters, gates and terminals, with a recently obtained federal document identifying at least 27 airport arrests across nine states. Separate internal data reviewed show that TSA sent ICE records involving more than 31,000 travelers from the beginning of President Donald Trump’s second term through February 2026, leading to more than 800 arrests. That figure is not a count of arrests made inside airports. The findings show that information gathered for aviation screening is being used at a larger scale for routine immigration enforcement. Airlines must transmit Secure Flight passenger data to TSA before covered flights depart, including a traveler’s full name, date of birth, sex, passport information, reservation number and itinerary. Secure Flight was established to match travelers against federal watch lists and ...