MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Federal agents, as revealed through airport security video, are increasingly transporting immigrants in detention via commercial flights, disguising their presence among regular passengers. Footage obtained via public records shows a father and his 5-year-old son, who previously became emblematic of immigration enforcement as they faced custody, being escorted to a Delta Air Lines flight to Texas shortly after their detention.
Adrian Conejo Arias and his son Liam appeared calm in the video as they navigated the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport accompanied by plainclothes agents, seamlessly blending in with other travelers. Their airline journey to San Antonio went largely unnoticed, underscoring the discreetness of this approach.
This use of commercial flights for transporting detainees, while not new, raises questions about the transparency of immigration operations. The Trump administration, continuing a trend with previous administrations, primarily utilizes charter flights through ICE Air Operations, which has seen record numbers of detainees being transferred and deported.
Human rights advocates have expressed growing concern about the lack of visibility regarding these operations. Many detainees, especially children, are reportedly being transported in ways that avoid the public eye, leading to increased scrutiny of how the deportation process occurs and is documented.
In this particular case, Adrian and Liam were apprehended in Minnesota as Adrian sought asylum from Ecuador. Although released back to Minnesota on a judge's orders following their detention, their asylum plea has since been denied, prompting an appeal from their legal representatives.
Activist and aviation enthusiast Nick Benson uncovered the circumstances surrounding their flight, which led to a broader discussion about the government's immigration enforcement measures and the ethics involved. The video showing the father's escort has been requested by multiple advocacy groups seeking to shine a light on these transit methods.
The use of ICE Air Operations and occasional commercial flights to transport immigrants, including families, remains a contentious issue, with rights organizations highlighting the opaqueness of such practices. Their findings reveal not only the operational methods of ICE but also implicate commercial airlines in facilitating these transfers, often with little prior notice or commentary from the carriers.
