Julio Varela felt targeted by United Airlines employee who threatened to call ICE during a ticketing dispute at San Francisco International Airport.

Julio Varela, a Mexican-born U.S. citizen, expressed shock after a United Airlines employee threatened to call immigration authorities on him during a confrontation at San Francisco International Airport. The incident occurred on July 14 while Varela was attempting to correct a ticketing error for his daughter. After spending hours shuttled between counters, a United representative dismissed the family, prompting Varela to describe the worker as "rude" and "lazy." The interaction was captured on video, in which the employee told Varela, "Maybe we should call ICE on you," and added that he did not "act like a citizen." Varela noted that the remark was particularly stinging given his status as a citizen and the recent history of high-profile enforcement actions. The confrontation briefly turned physical when the employee allegedly reached for Varela's phone. United Airlines stated the administration announced it is looking into the interaction but has no further details to share at this time.

Sources