A customer service representative for United Airlines (UA) has come under criticism after a video recorded at San Francisco International Airport (SFO) appeared to show her threatening to contact U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) during an argument with a passenger. According to the passenger, the employee questioned whether he was a U.S. citizen.
The confrontation, captured in an 83-second video, shows both individuals filming one another at a United check-in counter. The passenger, who says he is a U.S. citizen, claims the dispute began after he experienced poor customer service.
Video Captures Heated Exchange at Check-In Counter
The recording begins after the disagreement had already escalated, offering no footage of the events leading up to the confrontation.
During the exchange, the passenger repeatedly urges the employee to call ICE, referring to what he says was her earlier remark questioning his citizenship. At one point, another United employee asks whether the passenger would prefer police to be called instead.
The passenger raises his voice throughout the encounter, accusing the agent of being rude, lazy, and racist. He also says she will lose her job and states that he plans to pursue legal action.
Toward the end of the video, the employee leaves her position behind the counter and walks toward the passenger while continuing to record on her phone. She then reaches toward his camera, causing the footage to shake, according to View from the Wing.
Passenger Says Incident Began After Poor Service
According to the passenger, the incident occurred on Wednesday after he believed the United employee treated him dismissively.
He said he requested the employee’s name so he could file a formal complaint. He also emphasized that he is a U.S. citizen.
The employee’s identification badge reportedly showed she serves as a union steward with the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM).
Because the recording starts after the argument was already underway, it does not show what prompted the dispute. Some observers have noted that if an airline employee believes a passenger is behaving aggressively or posing a threat, contacting local law enforcement would generally be the appropriate response rather than federal immigration authorities.
Domestic Air Travel Does Not Depend on Citizenship
U.S. citizenship is not a requirement for traveling on domestic flights.
Every day, permanent residents, tourists, temporary visitors, foreign workers, and other non-citizens legally travel on flights within the United States. As a result, a passenger’s immigration status does not determine whether they are eligible to board a domestic flight.
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Anti-Discrimination Laws Apply to Airline Services
California’s Unruh Civil Rights Act requires businesses operating in the state to provide equal service regardless of a person’s citizenship or immigration status.
At the federal level, airlines are also prohibited from discriminating against passengers based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, or ancestry.
Legal experts note that while a claim under California’s Unruh Act could potentially proceed despite the federal Airline Deregulation Act, any lawsuit based solely on the available video may face challenges because the footage does not show the passenger being denied transportation.
Regardless of the legal outcome, the incident has raised fresh questions about customer service standards during passenger interactions.
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Previous ICE-Related Incident at San Francisco Airport
San Francisco International Airport has previously attracted attention over ICE-related activity.
In March, plainclothes ICE officers detained a woman near Gate E2 in Terminal 3 while a young girl was reportedly seen crying nearby. The incident drew public attention to immigration enforcement activities inside airport terminals.
Online Complaints Extend Beyond This Incident
Following the video’s circulation, several social media users claimed they had encountered the same United employee during previous trips through San Francisco International Airport.
One commenter alleged the employee refused to check him in at the Premier counter because she assumed he did not qualify for elite services. Another claimed to have previously filed a complaint involving the same staff member.
Similar incidents involving individual airline employees have surfaced at other U.S. carriers, including American Airlines (AA) at San Diego International Airport (SAN), demonstrating how interactions between frontline staff and passengers can quickly become highly visible and affect an airline’s public image.