Coverage dated July 17, 2026 to July 22, 2026

United Airlines investigating worker who threatened to call ICE on passenger at California airport

Headline from Foxla, on the newest of 4 developments

United Airlines says it is investigating one of its employees after they were caught on camera threatening to call ICE on a passenger at San Francisco International Airport. Julio Varela and his family were at the airport on July 14 trying to correct a mistake on one of his daughters' tickets so the…

Foxla's own description from its feed. We collect headlines and these descriptions, not full articles; read the original reporting below.

Developments in this update

4 dated developments, oldest first, newest marked. Each is named by one outlet's own headline; open its reports to see every outlet that covered it.

  1. United investigates after agent allegedly threatened to call ICE on passenger at SFO

    Headline from ABC 7 San Francisco ·

  2. United Airlines worker caught on video threatening to call ICE on U.S. citizen

    Headline from The Oregonian ·

  3. United employee threatens to call ICE on family during ticket dispute at SFO

    Headline from KRON4 ·

  4. Newest

    United Airlines investigating worker who threatened to call ICE on passenger at California airport

    Headline from Foxla ·

Reports & sources

31 articles, oldest first.

  1. The Daily Dot

    Passenger Accuses Apparent United Airlines Employee of Threatening to Call ICE on Him in Video From San Francisco Airport (opens The Daily Dot)

    Published

    The Daily Dot's feed description

    A video circulating on X, shared by @LongTimeHistory, shows the point of view of a passenger who accused a woman of being racist. She appears to be wearing a United Airlines uniform and telling him that someone should “call ICE” on him during a confrontation.

  2. KQED News

    SFO United Airlines Employee Allegedly Threatens to Call ICE on US Citizen (opens KQED News)

    Published

    KQED News's feed description

    A ticketing mix-up ahead of a family vacation to Canada escalated into a viral confrontation after a United Airlines worker allegedly told a Mexican-American passenger, “Maybe we should call ICE on you. You’re not acting like a citizen.”

  3. Newsweek

    United Employee Threatens ICE Call On American: 'Not Acting Like A Citizen' (opens Newsweek)

    Published

    Newsweek's feed description

    Julio Varela said the confrontation occurred at the airline’s counter at San Francisco International Airport.

  4. NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth

    United Airlines employee threatens to call ICE on U.S. citizen in viral confrontation (opens NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth)

    Published

    NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth's feed description

    A United Airlines employee at San Francisco International Airport threatened to call immigration authorities on a Northern California father during a confrontation over a ticketing issue at the airline’s counter.

  5. New York Post

    United worker has furious meltdown at California flyer and threatens to call ICE: ‘You don’t act like a citizen’ (opens New York Post)

    Published

    New York Post's feed description

    The stunning exchange was captured on video Tuesday at San Francisco International Airport.

  6. ABC 7 San Francisco

    United investigates after agent allegedly threatened to call ICE on passenger at SFO (opens ABC 7 San Francisco)

    Published

    ABC 7 San Francisco's feed description

    A San Ramon man says he was offended and shocked after a United Airlines employee at San Francisco International Airport suggested calling U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on him during a confrontation over a ticketing issue.

  7. The Guardian

    United Airlines says it will ‘look into’ worker’s threat to call ICE in viral video (opens The Guardian)

    Published

    The Guardian's feed description

    United staffer told customer ‘you don’t act like at a citizen’ during incident over wait time at San Francisco airport United Airlines is “looking into” a viral video showing a United Airlines employee threatening to call Immigration and Customs Enforcement ( ICE ) on Mexican American man at San Fra…

  8. KION Central Coast

    Watch: United Airlines employee threatens to call ICE on customer (opens KION Central Coast)

    Published

    KION Central Coast's feed description

    A father of three from San Ramon said a United Airlines employee threatened to call Immigration and Customs Enforcement on him during a ticketing dispute at the San Francisco International Airport.

  9. CBS News

    United Airlines employee threatens to call ICE on passenger, video appears to show (opens CBS News)

    Published

    CBS News's feed description

    United Airlines says it's investigating what happened at San Francisco's airport last Tuesday when one of its agents appeared to be heard on video threatening to call ICE on a passenger. Kris Van Cleave reports.

  10. Los Angeles Times

    'So demeaning.' United employee threatens to call ICE on California passenger in viral video (opens Los Angeles Times)

    Published

    Los Angeles Times's feed description

    A Mexican American father said he was floored when a United Airlines customer service representative threatened to call Immigration and Customs Enforcement on him at SFO.

  11. CBS News

    Video appears to show United employee threatening to call ICE on customer (opens CBS News)

    Published

    CBS News's feed description

    A United Airlines employee appears to have been caught on video threatening to call U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on a passenger last week at San Francisco International Airport.

  12. KION Central Coast

    United Airlines employee appears to threaten to call ICE on passenger: “You don’t act like a citizen” (opens KION Central Coast)

    Published

    KION Central Coast's feed description

    By CBS Bay Area A United Airlines employee appears to have been caught on video threatening to call U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on a customer during a ticketing dispute last week at San Francisco International Airport.

  13. KRON4

    United employee threatens to call ICE on family during ticket dispute at SFO (opens KRON4)

    Published

    KRON4's feed description

    SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) -- A dispute over an airplane ticket quickly escalates at San Francisco International Airport (SFO). Video shows a United Airlines employee threatening to call United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on a family.

  14. KTVU San Francisco

    United Airlines investigating worker who threatened to call ICE on passenger at SFO (opens KTVU San Francisco)

    Published

    KTVU San Francisco's feed description

    United Airlines says it is investigating one of its employees after they were caught on camera threatening to call ICE on a passenger at San Francisco International Airport. Julio Varela and his family were at the airport on July 14 trying to correct a mistake on one of his daughters' tickets so the…

  15. Not The Bee

    Black United Airlines employee threatens to call ICE on Hispanic passenger, then the two take turns calling each other racist 😂 (opens Not The Bee)

    Published

    Not The Bee's feed description

    I didn't know United Airlines had based customers service reps.

  16. ABC 7 New York

    United Airlines investigates after agent allegedly threatened to call ICE on San Ramon man, a passenger at SFO over ticketing dispute (opens ABC 7 New York)

    Published

    ABC 7 New York's feed description

    A man says a United Airlines employee suggested calling ICE on him during a confrontation over a ticketing issue.

  17. CBS News

    United investigates after employee appears to threaten to call ICE on passenger (opens CBS News)

    Published

    CBS News's feed description

    United Airlines is investigating after video captured a confrontation between one of their employees and a passenger last week in San Francisco. The United agent appears to threaten the passenger with a call to ICE. CBS News' Kris Van Cleave reports.

  18. Foxla

    United Airlines investigating worker who threatened to call ICE on passenger at California airport (opens Foxla)

    Published

    Foxla's feed description

    United Airlines says it is investigating one of its employees after they were caught on camera threatening to call ICE on a passenger at San Francisco International Airport. Julio Varela and his family were at the airport on July 14 trying to correct a mistake on one of his daughters' tickets so the…

  19. NJ.com / Star-Ledger

    United Airlines worker caught on video threatening to call ICE on U.S. citizen (opens NJ.com / Star-Ledger)

    Published

    NJ.com / Star-Ledger's feed description

    A United Airlines worker threatened to call ICE on an American citizen during a ticketing dispute at San Francisco International Airport.

Identical headlines usually mean shared wire copy. They are counted as separate articles but are not independent confirmation.