Over a dozen workers at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) were detained by agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) during a recent operation. The union representing these workers, Unite Here Local 17, reported that employees were apprehended as they arrived for their shifts or while already on the job. This operation forms part of a broader enforcement initiative that has intensified scrutiny at the airport.
The operation, which began in early March 2024, involves ICE agents positioning themselves throughout MSP, including on jetbridges where they monitor both passengers and airport staff. Such measures have raised concerns among workers and civil rights advocates, particularly regarding the legality and implications of these heightened enforcement activities.
According to Wade Luneburg, political director of Unite Here Local 17, many of the detained workers were employed in hospitality roles, such as retail and dining. He noted that some individuals were apprehended shortly after clearing TSA security. “They came through the TSA line, and then were quickly detained by ICE or Border Patrol, or some other law enforcement agency,” Luneburg stated, emphasizing the unsettling nature of these arrests occurring on the back end of security checks.
In a memo leaked to local news outlet FOX 9, details emerged about the extent of ICE’s actions at the airport. Agents are not only conducting checks near security but also appearing in terminals and on jetbridges. Although U.S. citizens are not legally required to show identification to ICE, they have been advised to cooperate to avoid potential detention. Reports indicate that even legitimate identification has been dismissed as fake in some instances, leading to wrongful detentions.
The heightened presence of ICE at MSP has sparked significant backlash, with many arguing that such actions are unconstitutional, particularly in relation to the Fourth Amendment, which protects individuals against unreasonable searches. The airport, a major hub for Delta Air Lines, serves over 37 million passengers annually and is experiencing increased scrutiny as a result of these enforcement efforts.
The Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC), which operates MSP, clarified that its airport police department does not receive advance notice of ICE operations and does not coordinate with them. Despite this, federal agents are granted broad access to the airport and its facilities, which has led to a noticeable uptick in deportation flights originating from the airport’s private terminal, managed by Signature Aviation. Reports indicate that deportation flights have increased from one or two per week to approximately two daily flights.
As protests against ICE activities continue to grow, the situation remains tense. Many airport workers and community members are voicing their concerns about the implications of these detentions not only for those directly involved but for the broader community as well. With heightened enforcement measures in place, the ongoing situation at MSP is likely to draw continued attention in the coming weeks.
