Airlines Challenge Expanding ICE Arrests at Airport Gates and Ticket Counters - [your]NEWS

Major U.S. airlines are pressing for clearer legal standards after Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers expanded arrests beyond TSA checkpoints, moving closer to passengers at ticket counters, boarding gates and even aircraft. The disputes have focused on passenger safety, the scope of agents’ authority and the operational disruption arrests can cause. ICE activity reportedly broadened over recent weeks under White House pressure to increase daily apprehensions, with facilities ranging from San Francisco to Miami and roughly one to three dozen arrests per day during July. In a July 25 Dallas incident, Southwest staff reportedly blocked ICE from boarding an Orlando-bound plane over an allegedly administrative warrant. Airlines have asked the Department of Homeland Security to clarify where and when ICE can act.