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.
Wait, wait. How do we know for a fact they were ICE? They don’t look it for sure. Is there a statement or link I missed?
Time for a thorough investigation, and… nope, turns out, pardons for everyone!
@1990: first the “fees” need to be transferred so little hands can exceed his first year fees.
Definitely doesn’t look right. I hope someone follows up to see what really happened. Is there personal liability in any form if a government employee really abused his position (not an honest mistake).
As a Republican I support our law enforcement officers or anyone that identifies as a law enforcement officer doing…whatever this was…in order to keep our country safe.
@Ray — Astounding corruption. We’ll need a Nuremberg 2.0 by the time all this is finally over. And yet, instead of ‘truth and justice,’ corporate Dems will likely just roll out Merrick Garland again. *smh*
Duh. They weren’t law enforcement. They were street thugs who found an easy target
@Winston — Thanks “patriot”… you’re “one of the good ones” and the “leopards won’t eat YOUR face.”
His papers were not in order.
Amazing that ICE had the gall to describe the bystanders filming as “attempts by agitators to help him evade ICE officers at Las Vegas airport…”
Surprised that LE would ‘run off’ during an arrest. Normally they arrest anyone watching.
The USA isnt really a country anymore. Countries have borders and enforce immigration laws. We have neither.
Guarantee you they weren’t ICE agents, a mugging in plain sight.
@Quo Vadis — We really are at the “PAPERS!!” stage of this aren’t we…
That’s a mugging/robbery. The dude has a fake mustache, and the chick has a mask in 2026. Their procedures are not up to par consistent with training on how to apprehend a suspect that they easily overpowered. They walked away, etc. Amateurs. That is not an attempted arrest.
If he overstayed his visa, he should go back and get a new one. Same as for US visitors to other countries. Don’t excuse people who break the rules under which they were allowed into a country. They knew the rules when they came in.
If I overstay my admission into Canada, why wouldn’t they deport me, even if I’m not otherwise causing any problems?
@Anonymouse — And, the second you drive 1 mph over the speed limit, obviously, summary execution. Sowie, them’s the rules…
That guy (Phu Nguyen) in the picture looked like an Asian gang leader. Many Vietnamese start the nail business, hiring illegal immigrants, working under the table, always file loss in business when filing income tax… Some even do “fake marriage”, e.g. paying a US citizen $100,000 to marry them for 5 years so they can become US citizen. If IRS and law enforcement go to a nail salon, they will find some illegal Vietnamese immigrants like this. Vietnamese community is where ICE and law enforcement should seriously pay attention to.
@1990, So the guy who overstayed the visa giving him permission to remain in the country can’t be removed from the country?
(Dunno where you live, but where I do, speeding doesn’t result in executions, only traffic tickets. And usually only if you’re going over by 10mph or more.)
I am retired ICE / HOMELAND SECURITY SPECIAL AGENT. If they are deportation ICE Agents, they are garbage. My guess is they were contractors hired by deportation to try and arrest low threat detainees. They had no badge or credential displayed. They knew suspect was traveling so why not access him at TSA or even at the gate. You could have asked sister agency CBP to get the suspect at the gate. Las Vegas has dozens of agents and investigators with SIDA access.
Heck, maybe it was a robbery gone bad. If it wasn’t attempted robbery then the training ICE is providing is horrible. I have heard this from former co-workers. Bottom of the barrel hires.
I worked in a different time when I followed the law. Shame on ICE.
@Winston
LOL. I am sure Nazi supporters in Germany circa mid-1930s thought the very same thing! Stop calling yourself a “Republican”; that party died in 2016.
@Anonymouse — Depends. Where I live (USA), if you’re black/brown, even following all applicable traffic laws can result in summary execution… especially if it’s ICE behind the gun.
So, now we know they were ICE, and the person they were attempting to p,ace in custody had overstayed his visa for about 11 years. The agents’ actions seem strange. The overstayer really deserved to be captured and kicked out. Eleven years? Thst’s like 18 Taylor Swift breakup songs.
More T is what is needed. Great way to start a war within.
I despise this country my family fought and died for. I sure would not.
Never trust a Republican (or a Campbell)
@Winston.
How are two supposed ice agents with no badges and no identification any different from two guys with no badges or identifications mugging me in an alley. I don’t care if you’re a republican Democrat independent or green someone please tell me what the difference is. How am I supposed to know if it’s an ice agent or a thug that just wants my wallet? This is ridiculous. And anyone who agrees with this takedown should be mugged themselves.
No problem just had to do the paperwork later
All illegals must return to their home country. Voluntarily or involuntarily.
Every. Last. One.
No One is Above the Law!
My $deity, some of the comments in here drip with hatred and vitriol. Apparently y’all have forgotten or chosen to ignore that the targets of your opprobrium are, yes, fully human.