ICE Agents Run Off Mid-Arrest At Las Vegas Airport—Leaving One Handcuff Dangling From An Elderly Traveler’s Wrist

At approximately 6:03 p.m. on Monday, July 13, two plainclothes ICE agents attempted to detain an elderly Asian traveler in Las Vegas airport terminal 3. They forced him to the floor and began handcuffing him, but stopped when passengers confronted and filmed them. The agents then took off, leaving one handcuff still attached to the man. A TSA officer told the crowd the pair were law enforcement. According to Las Vegas police, officers were called to a disturbance at 6:03 p.m., found the traveler with a cuff on one arm, and determined that ICE agents had attempted to detain him but walked away from the arrest. Officers found no outstanding warrants, removed the cuff and notified ICE. After a medical evaluation, the traveler made his flight. It appears from the video that law enforcement may have taken some of the man’s belongings – it looks like a robbery. Passengers in the terminal thought they were watching a mugging. Passenger Chris Motley was walking toward his gate when he heard someone crying for help. He found the older Asian man on the floor, surrounded by travelers. One plainclothes agent, wearing a dark hoodie, cap, khaki pants and backpack was kneeling against the traveler’s upper body. Another masked agent in a light jacket was hold the man’s wrists and handcuffing him. Motley and the Asian man wound up on the same flight together, and the man shared what happened. The two had grabbed him as he was heading to his flight, one threw him down, and their only explanation was that they were law enforcement. Motley’s videos begin after that initial takedown. Walking towards my terminal, I heard a cry for “help”. As I worked through the ocean of people just watching I approached the situation and the lady that attempted the arrest immediately stopped. Her partner tried to hide his identity They leave the scene, police arrived shortly after. Left the victim with dangling cuff on his wrist for over an hour I gave a statement to the police and showed them this video. They didn’t write anything down or ask for the video The man was checked out by a medical team before boarding his flight, thankfully he was okay and able to catch it 💚 Once the ICE agents depart, you can see the man get back on his feet holding his backpack, with one cuff still dangling from his wrist. Motley says the man remained there for more than an hour before he was allowed to leave. He declined a stretcher and boarded his flight. Motley showed police his recording and gave a statement, but says they took no notes and did not ask for the video. Here’s commentary on the videos and situation, explaining what’s happening. More details, via @TizzyEnt pic.twitter.com/HkkAgEEzEU — Las Vegas Locally 🌴 (@LasVegasLocally) July 16, 2026 Here are some of the reactions I’m seeing in social media, “The way they covered their faces and immediately started walking away. If what they’re doing is lawful, why do they flee like thieves?” “No uniform, no badge, no clear identification. As far as anyone is concerned those are just two people assaulting an older gentleman.” “If you have to wear a disguise to do your job, you’re probably doing something illegal.” “They’re law enforcement, right? Why are they running away?” ICE says the man was taken into custody on arrival at LAX for overstaying his visa. 🚨ICE Los Angeles arrested Phu Nguyen, 57, of Vietnam, at LAX, July 14. Nguyen overstayed his visa and, despite attempts by agitators to help him evade ICE officers at Las Vegas airport, was taken into custody as soon as he landed in Los Angeles. pic.twitter.com/UQ9lR0hEcK — ICE Los Angeles (@EROLosAngeles) July 15, 2026 A separate passenger, Dr. Julian Vasquez Heilig, published a contemporaneous eyewitness account as well. Maybe allowing ICE agents behind airport security checkpoints without SIDA badges doesn’t turn out to be such a great idea. Topics on this page