Full Breakdown
United Airlines Employee Threatens to Call ICE During Ticket Dispute at SFO
7/22/2026, 8:19:26 AM
Incident at San Francisco International Airport
On July 14, Julio Varela, a 54-year-old East Bay resident, his wife and their three U.S. citizen daughters were at San Francisco International Airport trying to correct a ticket error that listed one daughter’s middle name as her surname. The confrontation was recorded on Varela’s phone and quickly spread on social media.
Background of the Ticket Dispute
Varela said the mistake originated with the airline’s system and that he had been attempting to resolve it for hours, shuttling between United and Air Canada desks. The employee reportedly refused to provide a name when asked, prompting Varela to record the interaction. The family’s flight to Montreal was at risk, but the issue was reportedly resolved minutes after the exchange, allowing them to board.
Official Response
United Airlines confirmed it is investigating the incident and issued a private apology to Varela. No disciplinary action or further details have been released.
Verbatim Quotes
- “You're going to call ICE on me?” — Julio Varela, east bay resident
- “I was so shocked, I was angry,” — Julio Varela, east bay resident
- “If a person is being profiled based on their appearance, race, ethnicity or national origin without anything more would be a violation of a person's civil rights,” — Ronald Cabanayan, criminal defense attorney
