Bystanders disrupt ICE arrest attempt at Harry Reid International Airport

Akiya Dillon, Las Vegas Review-Journal on Jul 16, 2026

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U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers in plainclothes tried to detain a man at Harry Reid International Airport on Monday, but bystanders intervened, prompting the officers to abandon the arrest, according to authorities.

Phu Nguyen, 57, was later arrested at the Los Angeles International Airport on Tuesday, according to an X post from ICE Los Angeles.

The Department of Homeland Security said that Nguyen, who was born in Vietnam and is an Australian citizen, entered the U.S. on a visa in May 2013. That visa allowed him to stay for two years.

“Nguyen refused to depart in violation of our nation’s laws,” a DHS spokesperson said. “He will receive full due process and remain in ICE custody pending the outcome of his removal proceedings.”

The Metropolitan Police Department said that airport officers were “notified of a disturbance” in Terminal 3 at Harry Reid International Airport just after 6 p.m.

When they arrived, a spokesperson with Metro said, officers observed an elderly male with a handcuff attached to one arm.

“During the investigation, our officers learned Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents had attempted to detain the individual but walked away from the arrest,” the emailed statement from Metro said.

Metro also said that at the time officers found no outstanding warrants for the man. They said they removed the handcuff from his wrist and notified ICE.

Days later, a video depicting the arrest attempt circulated online. The video shows a man and a woman wearing hoodies and sneakers, pinning a man to the ground. The woman also wore a blue surgical mask, and at one point, a badge was seen on her belt.

The male officer began waving away at Chris Motley, the person recording the video, and shortly thereafter, another man in a Transportation Security Administration uniform stepped between the officers and the recorder.

“Everyone, back up,” the TSA officer said.

After a crowd, whom the Department of Homeland Security called “anti-ICE agitators,” began to gather, the two plainclothes officers abruptly walked away, lifting the hoods of their jackets over their heads.

“To de-escalate the situation and for officer safety, officers did not proceed with the arrest at the Las Vegas Airport and chose to instead arrest him at his flight the following day departing the Los Angeles International Airport on July 14,” DHS said.

U.S. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., called the video deeply disturbing and confusing.

“The ICE agents’ conduct is completely unprofessional and unacceptable for any law enforcement officer, and I have demanded immediate answers,” she wrote on X.

ACLU of Nevada Executive Director Athar Haseebullah also condemned the acts of the ICE agents, calling the agency “lawless, dangerous, and disgraceful.”

Meanwhile, local political groups, including the Nevada Latino Legislative Caucus and the Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander Caucus, called for a full investigation into the incident.

“Nevadans deserve to know who is conducting enforcement actions in our communities and whether those actions are being carried out safely, lawfully, and transparently,” Assemblymember Cecelia González said. “Governor Lombardo owes Nevadans an explanation of how his administration intends to ensure federal agencies operating in our state are held to clear standards of transparency and public accountability.”

A spokesperson for Reid airport directed questions to Metro and DHS.

“The Clark County Department of Aviation recognizes that incidents such as this may raise questions and concerns among the traveling public,” spokesperson Amanda Mazzagatti said. “We work closely with our federal law enforcement partners to support the safe and secure operation of the airport.”

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