Recent arrests of immigrants at airports, including a 38-year-old woman from Ukraine, have raised concerns about data sharing between airlines, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The woman, who had an expired visa, was arrested without a deportation order, sparking debate over the legality of such arrests.

Local Angle

In the Bay Area, at least 11 residents have been arrested in the past three weeks, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. The San Francisco Airport Commission is being urged to take action to protect immigrants traveling through the airport.

Edward Hasbrouck, an airline data privacy expert, suggests that airports could post warnings to immigrants about the sharing of their passenger data with TSA and ICE. Hasbrouck also questions the TSA’s legal authority to share passenger flight information with ICE, which has led to multiple arrests in recent months.

Constitutional Concerns

The practice of data sharing between TSA and ICE has prompted warnings that immigrants with temporary status should exercise caution when traveling. The long-held belief is that TSA focuses on domestic security, and immigration enforcement is not part of its scope.

Immigration attorneys and experts are concerned about the potential for mistakes in the data leading to wrongful arrests. They are calling on airlines to challenge the data-sharing demands in court.

The city of San Francisco, which operates the airport, is a sanctuary city, meaning local law enforcement agencies are precluded from assisting federal agencies in immigration enforcement. However, the airport is bound by federal regulations, according to airport officials.

Original reporting: Mission Local — read the source article.