Police say ICE agents walked away from attempted arrest, leaving man handcuffed at airport

LAS VEGAS (KVVU/Gray News) — Officers say Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents tried to arrest a man at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas on Monday, but left before taking him into custody.

The attempted arrest happened just after 6 p.m. on July 13, when Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department’s airport officers were called to a disturbance in Terminal 3. Officers arrived and found an elderly man with a handcuff attached to one arm.

Police said their investigation determined ICE agents had attempted to detain the man but walked away before completing the arrest.

FOX5 spoke with a man who recorded the now-viral interaction before he boarded a plane for Los Angeles.

“I was actually just coming out of the bathroom on my way to my terminal to get to my flight, and I just heard a “help” in the distance," said Chris Motley.

Motley says he didn’t know what was going on as the two people trying to handcuff an elderly man were in plain clothes with no obvious law enforcement identification, but he immediately started recording.

“The lady dropped what she was doing, which looked like she was trying to put cuffs on him, as she had already achieved by putting one cuff on him. And then her partner, as I got closer, swiped at my phone, swiped at me,” Motley said.

Motley says that a uniformed TSA officer stepped in, and the pair that had been holding the elderly man down with cameras now rolling quickly walked away.

“Unfortunately, growing up in this country, you know, as a person of color, you know, as a Black man, a lot of the experiences, whether they’re big or small, I frequently have either seen or come across,” Motley said.

After the ICE agents left, Metro police ran a records check, found no outstanding warrants, and removed the handcuffs. ICE was notified, police added.

FOX5 has learned that the man has been identified as Phu Nguyen, 57, of Vietnam.

ICE Los Angeles posted on X that he was apprehended at LAX on July 14. ICE said that Nguyen allegedly overstayed his visa.

Harry Reid International Airport released a statement regarding the incident:

“The Clark County Department of Aviation recognizes that incidents such as this may raise questions and concerns among the traveling public. We work closely with our federal law enforcement partners to support the safe and secure operation of the airport. Inquiries regarding law enforcement’s engagement should be directed to LVMPD or the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.”

The Nevada Latino Legislative Caucus and the Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander Caucus are calling for a full investigation.

“This is bigger than one incident,” said Assemblymember Cecelia González, Chair of the Nevada Latino Legislative Caucus. “Nevadans deserve to know who is conducting enforcement actions in our communities and whether those actions are being carried out safely, lawfully, and transparently. No law enforcement agency should operate without accountability.”

Senator Catherine Cortez Masto also weighed in:

“Like you, I’ve seen the video of the deeply disturbing and frankly confusing incident at Harry Reid Airport. The ICE agents’ conduct is completely unprofessional and unacceptable for any law enforcement officer, and I have demanded immediate answers.”