United Airlines staff member recorded threatening to involve ICE with passenger at SFO

A United Airlines employee was captured on video at San Francisco International Airport threatening to call U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on a passenger during a ticketing dispute. The incident, recorded by the passenger Julio Varela, shows the employee refusing to give her name and saying, "Maybe we should call ICE on you" and later adding, "Maybe you need to be, because you don't act like a citizen. Get away."

Varela, a 54-year-old East Bay resident traveling with his wife and three U.S. citizen daughters, said the dispute began when the ticket agent declined to correct a mistake on his daughter’s ticket, telling the family they would miss their flight. Varela asked the employee for her name, was denied, and recorded the exchange. He later recounted his reaction, saying he was shocked and angry and worried about possible arrest.

"Maybe we should call ICE on you," the employee said.

The family was eventually able to resolve the ticket issue and board their flight. United Airlines responded that it is reviewing the interaction but provided no further comment.