ICE Arrests 800+ Using TSA Traveler Data Since 2025

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has arrested more than 800 individuals based on traveler information shared by the Transportation Security Administration since the start of President Donald Trump's second term in January 2025 through February 2026, according to internal agency records. The data, covering more than 31,000 travelers, highlight an expanded use of aviation screening details for immigration enforcement.

The information originated from TSA's Secure Flight Program, established in 2007 to screen passengers against government watchlists for counterterrorism purposes. While the agencies, both under the Department of Homeland Security, have long shared intelligence on national security threats, records indicate this cooperation has broadened under the current administration to include routine immigration actions. The tips primarily identify travel plans, aiding ICE in locating individuals before or after flights rather than during security checks. It remains unclear how many of the arrests occurred within airport terminals.

Specific cases illustrate the enforcement. In November 2025, ICE detained a college student traveling from Boston to Texas for Thanksgiving....