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A union representing Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport employees says more than a dozen workers have been apprehended by ICE on the job — sometimes inside the terminal.
Wade Luneburg with the Unite Here Local 17 union represents 1,600 people working in airport concessions and in-flight catering. He says airport employees need to pass vigorous federal background checks to work at the airport.
Two people were apprehended after coming out of work at LSG Sky Chefs. The facility is on Metropolitan Airports Commission property.
But most have been detained inside Terminal 1, where passengers also enter and go through security.
“It seems clear that they came through the TSA line and then were quickly detained by ICE or Border Patrol or some other law enforcement agency on the back end of security and then just taken away,” said Luneburg. “I can confirm we have workers, members of our union, that have passed 10-year background checks with TSA, so federal background checks that authorize them to work in that secure environment, that after they’ve passed through that security area, they’ve been taken away.”
Luneburg said to their knowledge, initially, ICE may have been in some type of uniform without a badge, but they now understand they may be operating at the airport in plain clothes.
Luneberg said the ongoing federal immigration enforcement is keeping some workers at home and away from work, something travelers are likely to notice if they’re flying, as it is impacting staffing at concessionaires.
“People are staying at home, they are fearful of leaving their homes, they are fearful of the back and forth to work,” said Luneburg.
WCCO reached out to the Department of Homeland Security, asking about its operations at MSP, but has not heard back.
