Family members who go to pick up or drop off travelers at airports in the United States may also be at risk of immigration operations, according to warnings from activists and lawyers regarding the increase in arrests made by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
A report from Noticias Telemundo indicated that ICE is arresting between 20 and 40 immigrants per day at airports in the United States, a figure confirmed by a senior official from the Department of Homeland Security to NBC News.
That figure represents an increase compared to the average of around 10 arrests per day recorded in May 2025, when the administration of President Donald Trump began implementing immigration arrests at airports.
However, the warning is no longer limited to individuals planning to board a plane.
Activists and lawyers consulted by the television network indicated that they must also assess the risks for the family members and acquaintances who enter the airport to accompany, pick up, or drop off a traveler.
Carlos Lagos, interviewed by Telemundo while traveling, explained that some of his family members and acquaintances feel afraid to go to airports due to their respective immigration situations.
If the trip is essential, specialists advise carrying the passport and all documentation related to the immigration process.
Kathia Quirós, immigration analyst at Telemundo, recommended carrying the work permit that demonstrates the current status and, if possible, the letter from the Immigration Office that confirms its approval.
For his part, Abel Núñez, director of the Central American Resource Center (CARECEN), stated to the network that the arrests are not the result of chance encounters with the agents.
According to the explanation, immigration authorities are aware in advance of who will be traveling and what their immigration status is.
"This is not bad luck. It's just that when the person arrives, the immigration authorities already know who is traveling and what kind of immigration status they have," Núñez told the network.
The report attributed to activists the belief that the operations are part of a planned strategy involving information shared among federal agencies.
However, the Department of Homeland Security did not confirm or deny to Telemundo a collaboration between ICE and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) for these arrests.
The position communicated by the Department of Homeland Security is that it works to prevent individuals who are unlawfully present in the United States from traveling by air, except when the flight is to voluntarily leave the country.
The television report indicated that arrests of various types have been confirmed in California, Colorado, Nevada, Arizona, and Tennessee. There are also reports of detentions or ICE activity in seven other states, including Florida, Illinois, New Jersey, and Virginia.
In that scenario, Núñez advised immigrants with temporary cases to avoid airports when they have other transportation options.
He warned that the current way of applying immigration laws can lead some individuals to a detention center, even when they claim to have legal protection.
“If possible, avoid traveling primarily through airports, and look for other options,” recommended the director of CARECEN.
The warning does not mean that all immigrants entering an airport terminal will be arrested.
The identified risk is concentrated among individuals whose immigration status may make them targets of ICE, including those with pending cases or temporary protections.
The operations had already caused concern after reports of arrests of individuals with expired visas at check-in counters and boarding gates of at least 15 U.S. airports.
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