PHOENIX (AP) — A widely shared video depicting a dramatic confrontation between two Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents and a man at Las Vegas’s Harry Reid International Airport has sparked significant public outrage and sharp criticism from political figures.
In the footage circulating on social media, a visibly distressed man can be seen on the ground in Terminal 3, his cries echoing through the area. A plainclothes man and a masked woman attempted to subdue him, handcuffing one of his wrists. Upon noticing they were being filmed, the agents retreated, leaving the handcuff secured to the man’s arm.
Officers from the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police arrived on the scene, determined that the man had no outstanding warrants, and subsequently removed the restraints, informing ICE of the situation.
The Department of Homeland Security revealed that ICE did not continue with the man’s arrest on Monday. The individual, 57-year-old Australian citizen Phu Nguyen, who had reportedly overstayed his visa, was later detained by ICE as he was boarding a flight at Los Angeles International Airport on Tuesday.
Democratic U.S. Senator for Nevada, Jacky Rosen, condemned the incident, stating, “ICE is continuing to act with impunity — instilling fear in our communities and scaring tourists, which hurts our tourism economy.” She insisted that “enough is enough,” and called for ICE to adhere to the same sensible protocols expected of other law enforcement bodies.
The Nevada Latino Legislative Caucus and the Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander Caucus are calling for a full investigation into the aborted arrest by ICE at Harry Reid International Airport, urging Gov. Joe Lombardo to explain the transparency and accountability for federal law enforcement agencies operating in Nevada.