United Airlines investigates claim employee threatened to call ICE on passenger at SFO
United Airlines said it is reviewing a video showing a staff member at San Francisco International Airport suggesting immigration enforcement could be called on a passenger during a ticketing dispute.
A United Airlines employee at San Francisco International Airport is under investigation after a video surfaced in which the worker suggested calling U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on a passenger during a disagreement over a ticketing error. The incident involved Julio Varela, who said he spent several hours trying to correct a name mix-up on his daughter’s ticket for a family trip to Montreal.
According to Varela, after dealing with both United and Air Canada counters, a United staff member told him, "I already told you. I can't do anything. Whether you fly out or not, I don't care," prompting Varela to call the employee rude. The conversation escalated when the employee reportedly said, "Maybe we should call ICE on you," and added, "Maybe you need to be. Because you don't act like a citizen."
"You going to call ICE on me," Varela replied, according to the recording.
United Airlines released a statement saying it is looking into the interaction captured in the video but has no further details to share at this time. Varela said a United representative initially contacted him for his account, but communication ceased after brief email exchanges.
The airline has not provided additional information about the employee’s identity or any disciplinary actions.