'You don't act like a citizen': United Airlines passenger says employee threatened to call ICE during SFO ticket dispute

Julio Varela, a U.S. citizen from San Ramon, California, said a United Airlines employee at San Francisco International Airport (SFO) threatened to call ICE during a ticketing dispute on July 14, 2026.

The incident occurred at the United check-in counter while Varela, his wife, and two daughters were trying to fix an issue with his daughter's ticket, which had her middle name in the last name field.

In a viral video, the employee is heard saying, 'Maybe we should call ICE on you,' and later, 'Maybe you need to be, because you don't act like a citizen.'

Varela alleges the employee hit his hand and phone during the confrontation, calling the remark racist and hateful.