US officers have begun arresting foreign nationals holding expired visas at domestic airports across the country.
Officers from US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have carried out detentions at check-in counters, boarding gates, and arrival areas in at least 15 airports in recent weeks.
The operational shift affects numerous groups of foreign nationals, including spouses of American citizens, skilled workers awaiting extensions, former exchange visitors, and individuals with pending immigration applications.
The detentions follow a broadened collaboration between the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and ICE. While previous joint efforts targeted individuals with outstanding deportation orders, internal Department of Homeland Security (DHS) records show the remit now covers foreign nationals whose visas have expired, irrespective of active applications to adjust their status.
Hundreds of thousands of individuals overstay US visas each year. Many remain in administrative processes whilst awaiting decisions on green cards or employment extensions, frequently holding valid work permits during the interim. Historically, federal agencies did not prioritise these travellers for deportation unless they had committed criminal offences.
A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security defended the enforcement action.
“This administration is working diligently to ensure that aliens in our country illegally can no longer fly unless it is out of our country to self-deport,” the spokesperson said.
The department declined to clarify whether the airport enforcement initiative had been formally expanded through an official administrative directive.
Impact on Foreign Nationals Navigating Federal Transit Systems
The interception of foreign nationals at airport terminals marks a departure from conventional interior immigration enforcement. By placing officers directly at domestic departure gates, federal authorities have effectively limited internal travel for individuals awaiting legal status determinations.
Legal analysts note that the strategy creates immediate disruption for businesses employing specialist staff, as well as for families undergoing protracted processing delays within the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) framework. Because administrative backlogs routinely extend for years, foreign nationals often reside in the country legally whilst holding expired primary entry visas.
The operational push coincides with heightened pressure from the White House to increase overall deportation figures. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin has reportedly instructed ICE leadership to reach a daily target of approximately 2,000 immigration arrests.
Systemic Precedent and Individual Disruptions
Immigration lawyers report that the latest enforcement actions have affected clients from more than a dozen countries. The groups targeted include individuals seeking political asylum, foreign nationals renewing employment authorisations, and spouses applying for permanent residency.
Reported detentions include Chantal Morales Rojas, a 27-year-old former au pair from Ecuador. Officers took her into custody while she was boarding a domestic flight after her visa had expired, despite her holding a pending application and a valid work permit.
In a separate case, officers detained a Ugandan woman suffering from sickle cell anaemia, despite her active application for political asylum.
Legal representatives state that intercepting travellers at domestic departure gates represents an unprecedented operational method for federal agents.
Immigration attorney Charles Kuck expressed severe concern over the sudden shift in federal practice.
“In 38 years practising immigration law, I had never seen this,” he said. “And I know it’s happening to lots of people.”
With enforcement teams deployed across major transit hubs, legal advisors are warning foreign nationals holding expired visa documentation to assess the risks of domestic air travel while their applications remain under official review.
