Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Agent’s Unattended Firearm Triggers Scrutiny of Enforcement at San Francisco International Airport

On the evening of July 21, a flight attendant discovered an unattended firearm inside a men’s-room stall past the security checkpoint in Terminal 2 of San Francisco International Airport (SFO). Security staff closed the restroom and called 911. San Francisco Police arrived within five minutes and remained on scene when the ICE officer returned to retrieve the gun. SFO public-information officer Doug Yakel said the airport reported the matter to the Transportation Security Administration. It remains unclear how long the gun was left unattended, whether it was loaded, and whether the ICE officer has faced disciplinary action.

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SFO has seen a rise in immigration-enforcement actions since the spring. Yakel noted three ICE-related arrests at the facility since March 2024: March 22, May 1 and the detention of Ukrainian national Iryna Gorb on July 23. The presence of ICE agents at U.S. airports has expanded, with data sharing between airlines, TSA, Customs and Border Protection and ICE facilitating more frequent arrests of travelers who have overstayed visas or have pending asylum claims.

Activists urge SFO to limit ICE access, but airport officials say their hands are tied

• Three ICE arrests at SFO since March 2024.

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• More than a dozen travelers detained at Bay Area airports since June 27, according to local advocates.

Activists urge SFO to limit ICE access, but airport officials say their hands are tied

• The firearm was found at 10:26 p.m. on July 21 in Terminal 2’s men’s restroom.

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A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson confirmed that Iryna Gorb entered the United States lawfully in 2010 but has overstayed her visa by more than 15 years, forming the basis for her detention. Both the TSA and ICE declined to comment for this report.

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Immigration attorney Pablo Lastra questioned why an ICE officer was carrying a firearm inside the airport, suggesting the weapon could have been placed in luggage instead.

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Immigrant-rights advocate Milli Atkinson, director of the San Francisco Bar Association’s Immigrant Legal Defense Program, said enforcement at airports has shifted from targeting undocumented entrants to detaining long-term residents who have overstayed visas, noting a recent increase at both San Francisco and Oakland airports.

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• “The airport is a Constitution-light zone where agents can search you, detain you and take your phone,” — Pablo Lastra

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• “San Francisco is a sanctuary city. SFO should be a sanctuary airport, to the maximum extent permitted by law,” — Hasbrouck

Activists urge SFO to limit ICE access, but airport officials say their hands are tied

• The exact duration the firearm remained unattended has not been disclosed.

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• No agency has confirmed whether the ICE officer faced disciplinary measures.

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• It is unclear whether the gun was loaded.

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• The purpose of the ICE officer’s presence that evening—whether to board a flight, conduct an operation, or another duty—has not been clarified.

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SFO is evaluating additional signage to inform travelers of their rights and the extent of data sharing with federal agencies. The TSA’s internal review of the incident, prompted by the airport’s referral, is ongoing, but no public timeline for conclusions has been provided.

Activists urge SFO to limit ICE access, but airport officials say their hands are tied