The TSA has submitted lists of names to the immigration agency multiple times a week since the program began in March, The New York Times reported on Friday. ICE then checks travelers’ information against its own internal list of those subject to deportations.
Though the number of those deported due to this program is unknown, documents obtained by The Times show that at least two high-profile arrests were carried out based on TSA’s information.
One was Any Lucía López Belloza, the college student arrested at Boston Logan Airport while traveling to visit her family for Thanksgiving, who was met by immigration officers at her gate and deported to Honduras two days later.
Boston ICE officers who carried out the arrest were alerted by an ICE office in California, the Pacific Enforcement Response Center, which flagged Balloza’s travel information. The office also noted that their information came as part of a collaboration “with Transportation Security Administration to send actionable leads to the field regarding aliens with a final order of removal that appear to have an impending flight scheduled.”
That same office also used TSA information to tip off officials to arrest Marta Brizeyda Renderos Leiva at a Salt Lake City airport in October.
Discover more from The CTL Tribune
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.