California Democrats are expressing strong discontent with federal immigration authorities after a video surfaced, showing police taking two people into custody at San Francisco International Airport. The footage captured a visibly distressed woman, identified by the Department of Homeland Security as an undocumented immigrant, breaking down as plainclothes officers arrested her, while her daughter sobbed nearby.
The California Democratic Party is demanding explanations from federal agencies, asserting the video illustrates excessive force that terrorizes immigrant communities. Representative Doris Matsui, a Democrat from California, referred to the woman as a “mother from Sacramento” and echoed the call for accountability.
Matsui voiced her outrage, stating, “It’s appalling to see a Sacramento mother being detained forcefully in front of her young child.” She emphasized that this individual is a part of the community, describing the incident as indicative of the brutality increasingly characteristic of ICE under President Trump, and highlighted the trauma inflicted on witnesses of such acts.
The Department of Homeland Security confirmed that the arrests were related to outstanding removal orders from 2019, detailing that one individual had attempted to flee and resisted capture. According to DHS, the detained individuals had been on deportation orders since then and were being escorted for processing when the incident occurred.
While officials clarified that the arrests were lawful and not connected to recent efforts to deploy ICE agents to support TSA operations during a government shutdown, San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie described the situation as “upsetting.” He reassured the public that local policies regarding cooperation with federal immigration enforcement would remain unchanged. Lurie indicated he believes the occurrence was an isolated event and emphasized the city’s commitment to safeguarding its residents.
Meanwhile, state Senator Scott Wiener, a Democratic candidate for the U.S. House, addressed the incident outside the airport, denouncing federal actions. He remarked that ICE’s presence in communities only breeds fear. A video captured a bystander questioning the officers about their identification, calling for them to reveal their badge numbers and claiming the arrest was unlawful.
The San Francisco Police Department stated that while federal immigration officials were involved, local officers merely maintained public safety and did not participate in the arrest, reiterating the city’s policy that prohibits local law enforcement from enforcing federal immigration laws.
