United investigates after agent allegedly threatened to call ICE on San Ramon man, a passenger at SFO over ticketing dispute - ABC7 Bay Area

What the report says

KGO-TV reports that United Airlines is reviewing a confrontation at San Francisco International Airport after a San Ramon passenger said a United employee suggested calling U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement during a ticketing dispute. The incident involved Julio Varela, who told the station he was traveling with his wife and two daughters for a July 14 trip to Montreal when the family found that one daughter’s ticket had her middle and last names reversed.

According to KGO-TV, Varela said the problem led the family between United and Air Canada counters for roughly three hours. He said an Air Canada worker was trying to address the ticket issue when a United employee became involved. Varela said the employee told him she could not help and did not care whether the family traveled, after which he called her rude and lazy and began recording while asking for her name.

KGO-TV reported that video of the exchange captured the employee saying ICE might be called, and then adding that Varela did not “act like a citizen.” ABC7 said it blurred the employee’s face. Varela, who described himself as Hispanic and Mexican, told the station he was shocked and angered by the reference to immigration enforcement, especially amid broader public attention to ICE activity.

United Airlines told KGO-TV it was looking into the interaction shown in the video and had no further information to share. Varela said a United representative contacted him for his account and exchanged brief emails, but he said the airline later stopped communicating. KGO-TV reported that United had not provided additional details.