TSA collaborates with ICE at airports: threat to Cuban families

A new and concerning tactic from the Trump administration has begun emerging at U.S. airports: direct collaboration between TSA and ICE to identify and arrest migrant families during travel. The viral case of a Guatemalan mother arrested in front of her daughter at San Francisco airport has exposed a strategy that could dramatically affect the 300,000 Cuban families living in legal limbo in the United States.

The Case That Exposed the New Tactic

Last Tuesday, Angelina López-Jiménez and her daughter Wendy Godínez-López were arrested at San Francisco International Airport following a direct “tip” from TSA to ICE, according to federal documents revealed by The New York Times. The arrest, filmed by witnesses and gone viral on TikTok and Instagram, shows the heartbreaking moment when the child cries while her mother is handcuffed.

“While being escorted to the international terminal for processing, López-Jiménez attempted to flee and resisted law enforcement officers,” ICE reported in a statement, adding they were working “as quickly as possible to repatriate the family unit to their home country of Guatemala.”

The TSA-ICE Pipeline: A New Reality

Hamed Aleaziz, the New York Times reporter who broke the story, described this collaboration as a “TSA-ICE pipeline” - a new Trump administration tactic where airport security agents act as immigration informants.

“This appears to be a new tactic by the Trump administration,” Aleaziz explained to KTVU. Previously, TSA focused exclusively on transportation security, not immigration status.

Implications for Cuban Families

This new strategy poses particular danger for Cuban families for several reasons:

1. 300,000 in Legal Limbo: With CHNV program suspension and asylum approvals frozen, hundreds of thousands of Cubans live with uncertain status.

2. Family Travel: Many Cubans travel frequently within the U.S. for family reunifications, especially between Florida, New York, and other Cuban population centers.

3. Pending Deportation Orders: An estimated 42,000 pending deportation orders against Cubans exist, many of whom could be detained under this new system.

Troubling Legal Precedents

The San Francisco case is not isolated. ICE reported that the two Guatemalan women had “a final removal order from an immigration judge since 2019.” This detail is crucial because many Cubans also have pending cases from previous years.

Attorney Giselle García from NorCal Resist explained the traumatic impact: “Not only are they dealing with the trauma of separation, the daughter witnessed that arrest. Their fear of retaliation has silenced them from telling their story on their terms, which is really disheartening.”

The Escalation Continues

This new tactic comes as Cuban deportations reach historic levels:

• 427 Cubans deported in 2026 through March
• 1,784 deportations from January 2025 through February 2026
• 9 deportation flights from various regional countries

Paradigm Shift

“Their fear of retaliation has silenced [families] from telling their story on their terms,” García observed, noting how these tactics create a climate of terror that extends beyond individual arrests.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can TSA now arrest immigrants?

Not directly, but they can tip off ICE about suspicious travelers, leading to immediate arrests like the San Francisco case.

Which airports are involved?

While the documented case was in San Francisco, the national scope of this TSA-ICE coordination is unknown. Potentially all airports could be participating.

How can Cuban families protect themselves?

Experts recommend:

• Travel only when absolutely necessary
• Consult with immigration attorneys before trips
• Avoid airports if you have pending orders
• Document any interactions with authorities

Is this collaboration legal?

Legally, TSA has authority to report potential immigration violations. However, civil rights groups question whether this violates due process and constitutional protections.

The Human Cost

The trauma documented in the San Francisco video - a child crying as her mother is arrested - is replicated silently across the country. For Cuban families who fled the energy crisis and repression on the island, these arrests represent a betrayal of the American promise of refuge.

As one activist observed: “Families who sought safety in America now face separation and deportation for the simple act of traveling to reunite with loved ones.”

A Developing Humanitarian Crisis

With this new tactic, American airports have become hunting grounds for ICE. For the 300,000 Cuban families in legal limbo, every trip now carries the risk of family separation and deportation.

The TSA-ICE collaboration marks a significant escalation in Trump’s deportation policies, turning civilian transportation infrastructure into a tool of immigration enforcement. For Cuban families, American skies are no longer safe.

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Do you know Cuban families affected by these new tactics? Share your experience safely and anonymously. Documenting these cases is crucial for the community’s legal defense.