Outrage and criticism followed the release of video footage showing two Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents tackling a man at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas. The incident occurred Monday in Terminal 3.
One video circulating on social media depicted a man on the ground yelling and crying as a plainclothes male and a masked female, identified as ICE agents, attempted to detain and handcuff him. Upon realizing they were being filmed, the agents disengaged, leaving the man with a handcuff attached to one arm.
Las Vegas Metropolitan Police responded to the scene and found no outstanding warrants for the man. Officers removed the handcuffs and notified ICE.
According to the Department of Homeland Security, ICE officers 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 on Monday. ICE apprehended Nguyen on Tuesday at Los Angeles International Airport as he was departing.
U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen of Nevada stated that ICE "is continuing to act with impunity — instilling fear in our communities and scaring tourists, which hurts our tourism economy." She added, "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 requested a comprehensive investigation into the handling of the situation at Harry Reid International Airport. They are urging Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo to provide details regarding transparency and accountability for federal law enforcement operating within the state.