Your Flight Data May Reach ICE: What the TSA Agreement in the U.S. Allows
Posted on 11/14/26 at 09:01
- TSA shares information with ICE.
- Reuters documented over 800 arrests.
- Agreement keeps annexes widely censored.
Traveling within the United States can provide immigration authorities with information to locate certain individuals through cooperation between TSA and ICE.
An agreement signed in May 2025 establishes a framework for exchanging information between the transportation security agency and the immigration authority.
American Oversight obtained the document through a public records lawsuit and released it on July 28, 2026.
The mechanism confirms that passenger records can be used for immigration purposes, although it does not demonstrate automatic ICE access to all travelers.
What Information ICE Can Receive About Flights
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During a legislative hearing in January, then-acting TSA head Ha Nguyen McNeill described a matching procedure.
According to her explanation, ICE provides data and TSA can identify matches using the passenger’s full name and date of birth.
When the match reaches the required confidence level, TSA can return flight information for ICE to conduct its own checks.
However, American Oversight questioned the scope of that explanation: the agreement also contemplates information storage, while its annexes remain widely censored.
Over 800 Arrests After TSA Information
Reuters documented over 800 arrests following information provided by TSA, from the start of Trump’s second term to February 2026.
Internal records reviewed by the agency also showed that TSA shared information corresponding to over 31,000 travelers for potential immigration actions.
The investigation was unable to determine how many of those arrests occurred within airports, a fundamental distinction for correctly interpreting the figures.
Separately, ABC News identified at least 27 airport arrests through a specific modality, without specifying the period; both counts should not be added together.
Two Argentine Artists Detained in Phoenix
Agustin Baccega and Gustavo Romanello, both from Argentina, traveled to Arizona last weekend to visit an ill friend. According to their friend and fellow performer, Alexa Nielen, the two were taken into custody Saturday moments after getting off their plane. 🔗 in bio for full… https://t.co/HXkmjAIj8K
— News 6 WKMG (@news6wkmg) November 11, 2026
The case of Agustín Baccega and Gustavo Romanello drew attention again to immigration arrests during domestic travel within the United States.
Both traveled from Florida to Phoenix to attend a friend’s funeral and were arrested at Sky Harbor, according to available reports.
Their acquaintances claim they had pending asylum requests and work permits until 2029; ICE maintained that they exceeded their authorized admission periods.
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No evidence has been presented linking those detentions to information provided by TSA: the location of the arrest does not demonstrate how they were located.
What Passengers Should Consider Before Traveling
Holding a work permit and immigration status are distinct issues; ICE pointed out that difference when explaining its action against the artists.
HAVING a pending request does not allow us to conclude, without reviewing the file, what specific protections a person has against a possible detention.
Those who have doubts should consult with an immigration attorney or accredited representative about their documents and circumstances before organizing their trip.
The censored annexes leave open questions about the transferred data and its conservation; presenting the agreement as universal automatic surveillance would exceed public evidence.
SOURCE: univision