A Delta Air Lines pilot was apprehended by federal agents immediately after landing at a California airport.
Reports indicate that the pilot was arrested during Delta Flight 2809 at about 9:35 PM on Saturday.
After landing, around ten federal agents, including officers from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), boarded the aircraft. They seemed to take charge quickly, entering the cockpit and detaining the co-pilot while moving through the aisles, ultimately leading them off the plane.
“There were several people in vests and guns, making their way from the aisles to the cockpit,” passenger Sarah Christianson told a local news outlet.
Following the pilot’s removal by one of the officers, another group began to gather his belongings and took them away in a cart.
It appeared that the flight crew was just as confused as the passengers, with some pilots expressing uncertainty about the situation, according to Christianson.
The motive behind the pilot’s arrest is still not known.
HSI, part of the Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), has been involved in numerous immigration enforcement operations since the significant crackdowns started under President Trump.
Christianson described the scene as “shocking and unsettling.”
“It was really disturbing to see someone being taken away right in front of me,” she remarked, echoing sentiments often associated with ICE raids.
HSI has not provided further details on the nature of the arrest or whether the pilot’s status is related to immigration issues, and they did not respond to inquiries prior to publication.
Delta has directed questions to law enforcement.
This isn’t the first incident of detentions occurring in work settings since the intensified enforcement began under Trump.
In recent months, various workplaces, including farms and construction sites, have seen similar actions taking place during working hours, with employees being taken for deportation.
