United Airlines Employee Threatens to Call ICE on Bay Area Family at SFO

Background of the Dispute

The Varela family arrived at SFO around 8:15 a.m. for an 11:40 a.m. flight. Weeks prior, Julio's wife had accidentally entered their daughter's middle name in the last name field when booking through United for a flight operated by Air Canada. The family spent roughly 15 hours on the phone across two weeks trying to fix the error, being bounced between both airlines' customer service lines.

At the airport, an Air Canada supervisor attempted to help resolve the issue, but needed United to release the ticket in their system. According to Varela, the United employee was dismissive, allegedly telling the Air Canada supervisor, "I'm not dealing with it, it ain't my problem."

The Viral Confrontation

When Varela pulled out his phone to record the employee's name, the worker — who wore a badge identifying her as an IAM union steward — responded by recording him and making the ICE threat. The footage, widely circulated on Reddit and social media, shows the employee stating, "Maybe we should call ICE on you. You're not acting like a citizen."

Varela expressed disbelief, stating: "I am Mexican. I was born in Mexico, I am a U.S. citizen. I own my own business. I pay taxes. I employ people. For her, especially with what's going on right now in America … to say that to a minority, especially a Hispanic person, I think it's really, really hateful and it's really racist."

Broader Context: ICE at Airports

The incident occurs against a backdrop of escalating immigration enforcement at airports nationwide. San Francisco's sanctuary city policies cannot physically bar federal ICE agents from operating within SFO. The March 2026 detention of Angelina Lopez-Jimenez and her daughter at SFO's Terminal 3 — prompted by data-sharing between the TSA and ICE — drew intense backlash from civil rights advocates and led the San Francisco Board of Supervisors to pass a resolution condemning federal immigration enforcement at the airport.

Corporate and Union Response

United Airlines has declined to answer specific questions regarding the employee's conduct or employment status, stating only: "We're looking into the interaction in this video, but don't have anything additional to share at this time." The IAM Union acknowledged the video but noted it has not verified its authenticity, adding that any matters will be handled through collective bargaining agreement processes. Varela heard through a personal connection that the employee had been suspended pending investigation, though United did not confirm this.

Was Julio Varela a U.S. citizen at the time of the incident?

Yes. Julio Varela is a naturalized U.S. citizen, a business owner, and a resident of San Ramon, California. The employee's threat to call ICE on him was made despite his legal status.

Did the family make their flight to Montreal?

Yes. After another United representative stepped in to finalize the ticket release, the family was able to board their flight to Montreal, though the incident cast a shadow over their vacation.

Has the employee been disciplined?

United Airlines has not confirmed any disciplinary action. However, Varela stated that he heard through a personal connection at the airline that the employee had been suspended pending an investigation.

What legal action is being considered?

Varela is considering seeking legal counsel regarding a potential civil rights violation stemming from the alleged discriminatory conduct and threat.

How does San Francisco's sanctuary city status affect this situation?

While San Francisco is a sanctuary city, local policies cannot physically bar federal ICE agents from operating within the airport. This has been a point of contention following multiple ICE enforcement incidents at SFO.

This incident raises important questions about racial profiling, immigration enforcement, and customer service standards at major U.S. airports. Do you think airlines are doing enough to protect passengers from discrimination? Share your thoughts below!

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