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Man Pinned Down by ICE at Las Vegas Airport Before Agents Walk Away
A viral video shows ICE agents pinning down a man at a Las Vegas airport before leaving the scene. He was arrested the following day at LAX.
By  Ernesto Iván Vargas Martínez
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Man Pinned Down by ICE at Las Vegas Airport Before Agents Walk Away
Foto ChatGPT

Posted on07/17/26 at 15:05

  • ICE abandons airport arrest operation.
  • Airport video goes viral.
  • Arrest made the next day.

A video recorded by witnesses at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas shows the moment U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents attempted to arrest a man but ultimately walked away from the scene.

The arrest was completed the following day in Los Angeles, according to ICE.

The incident quickly went viral because of footage showing plainclothes agents restraining the man in front of dozens of travelers.

The ICE airport arrest also raised questions among witnesses about the agents’ identities and the reason for the detention.

ICE later stated that the man had remained in the United States after his visa had expired.

Viral video shows attempted ICE airport arrest in Las Vegas

The video circulating on social media shows Phu Nguyen, 57, a native of Vietnam, being restrained on the floor of Harry Reid International Airport.

Two plainclothes ICE agents, wearing hooded sweatshirts, attempt to place him in handcuffs while several bystanders begin recording the incident on their phones.

During the confrontation, some witnesses ask a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officer why the man is being arrested.

RELATED: ICE Agents Arrest Woman on Her Way to Medical Treatment Outside Convenience Store

The TSA officer responds only:

«It’s law enforcement.»
The footage shows Nguyen being held on the ground as agents continue trying to handcuff him.

The incident unfolds in a public area of the airport, surrounded by travelers watching and recording what happened.

The dramatic scene quickly spread across social media.

The video does not show the arrest being completed.

Agents leave the scene before completing the arrest

After several seconds, a TSA officer begins moving bystanders away from the incident that occurred on Monday, July 13.

Shortly afterward, the ICE agents leave the area without completing the arrest.

The footage shows Nguyen still lying on the ground with only one handcuff secured to one wrist.

As the agents quickly walk away, several witnesses continue filming and follow them as they leave the area.

Once back on his feet, Nguyen appears visibly shaken and shouts that the agents took his belongings.

Following the incident, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) responded to Terminal 3.

When officers arrived, they found Nguyen still wearing one handcuff.

After checking his records, police said they found no outstanding warrants for Nguyen and removed the handcuff.

LVMPD also confirmed that it notified ICE about the incident at the airport.

ICE confirms arrest the following day in Los Angeles

The case took another turn on Tuesday, July 14.

ICE announced in a post on its official X account that Nguyen had been arrested at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).

According to the agency, the Vietnamese national had remained in the United States after his visa expired.

ICE said the arrest took place as soon as Nguyen landed in Los Angeles.

The agency also referred to the previous day’s incident in Las Vegas.

In its statement, ICE claimed that some individuals attempted to help Nguyen evade agents during the Las Vegas airport encounter.

«ICE Los Angeles arrested Phu Nguyen, 57, of Vietnam, at LAX on 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,» the agency wrote on X.

With that arrest, ICE said the case that began with the failed ICE airport arrest in Las Vegas—and later went viral on social media—had come to an end.