Video footage showing two Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents tackling a man at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas has ignited public outrage and drawn criticism from elected officials.
The incident occurred Monday in Terminal 3 when a man and a masked woman, identified as ICE agents, attempted to detain an elderly man. Social media video captured the man yelling and crying on the ground as the agents tried to handcuff him. Upon realizing they were being filmed, the agents departed, leaving the man with a handcuff attached to one arm.
Las Vegas Metropolitan Police later identified the pair as ICE agents and confirmed they found no outstanding warrants for the man. The handcuffs were removed, and ICE was notified.
According to the Department of Homeland Security, ICE officers ultimately did not proceed with the arrest of Phu Nguyen, a 57-year-old Australian citizen who had overstayed his visa, at the Las Vegas airport. ICE apprehended him the following day at Los Angeles International Airport as he was preparing to depart.
U.S. Senator for Nevada Jacky Rosen stated, "ICE is continuing to act with impunity — instilling fear in our communities and scaring tourists, which hurts our tourism economy. Enough is enough. ICE must follow the same commonsense guardrails as other law enforcement agencies."
The Nevada Latino Legislative Caucus and the Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander Caucus have called for a thorough investigation into the aborted arrest. They are urging Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo to provide clarity on the transparency and accountability measures for federal law enforcement agencies operating within the state.