An Immigration and Customs Enforcement encounter at a Las Vegas airport that left an elderly man handcuffed has sparked widespread outrage after video of the incident went viral on social media.
On Monday, July 13, at approximately 6:03 p.m., Las Vegas Metropolitan Police were called to Terminal 3 at Harry Reid International Airport to respond to a disturbance. Officers arrived to find an elderly Asian man with a handcuff attached to one of his arms. Upon investigation, police learned that ICE agents in plainclothes had attempted to detain the man but had walked away from the arrest.
The video, recorded by Chris Motley, shows two individuals in hoodies and sneakers physically restraining a man on the ground while bystanders questioned what was happening. One of the individuals wore a blue surgical mask and had a badge visible on her belt. As the crowd gathered around the officers, one of them began waving away the person recording, and shortly thereafter, a TSA employee in uniform stepped between the officers and the recorder. After bystanders began to gather, the two plainclothes officers abruptly walked away, lifting the hoods of their jackets over their heads.
Police found no outstanding warrants for the man and removed the handcuff from his wrist, then notified ICE. The next day, ICE arrested the man at Los Angeles International Airport. The Department of Homeland Security identified him as Phu Nguyen, 57, an Australian citizen born in Vietnam. According to DHS, Nguyen entered the United States legally on a visa in May 2013 and overstayed the visa, which had allowed him to remain in the country for two years.
The Department of Homeland Security released a statement claiming that “a crowd of anti-ICE agitators surrounded officers.” The agency said that “to de-escalate the situation and for officer safety, officers did not proceed with the arrest at the Las Vegas Airport” and instead arrested him at his departure flight on July 14.
The video has generated sharp criticism from state and federal officials. U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto 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. The ACLU of Nevada Executive Director Athar Haseebullah condemned the ICE agents’ actions, calling the agency “lawless, dangerous, and disgraceful.”
Local political groups also responded quickly. The Nevada Latino Legislative Caucus and the Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander Caucus called for a full investigation into the incident. Assemblymember Cecelia González stated that “Nevadans deserve to know who is conducting enforcement actions in our communities and whether those actions are being carried out safely, lawfully, and transparently.”
Harry Reid International Airport released a brief statement acknowledging the incident. “The Clark County Department of Aviation recognizes that incidents such as this may raise questions and concerns among the traveling public. We work closely with our federal law enforcement partners to support the safe and secure operation of the airport,” the statement read.
The incident has raised questions about how federal immigration enforcement is conducted in public spaces and the appropriateness of the plainclothes officers’ approach. Travelers witnessed what they described as an aggressive physical encounter in a busy airport terminal, with many bystanders unaware that the individuals restraining the man were law enforcement until a TSA employee confirmed their status.