Acting TSA director defends sharing passenger data with ICE at Capitol hearing

Ha Nguyen McNeill, the acting director of the Transportation Security Administration, defended the agency’s practice of sharing information about travelers suspected of having deportation orders with Immigration and Customs Enforcement at an oversight hearing before the House Homeland Security Committee at the Capitol on Wednesday.

Ms. McNeill told lawmakers, "It is not new policy to share information between the agencies of the Department of Homeland Security," and said agents were "absolutely" allowing ICE access to passenger data to help with deportation efforts. The New York Times reported in December that the agency was collaborating with ICE to identify air travelers subject to deportation orders, enabling detentions at airports and rapid deportations.

The practice drew scrutiny after Any Lucía López Belloza was detained at Boston Logan International Airport on Nov. 20 and deported two days later despite a court order; the Trump administration later acknowledged a mistake in that case. Democrats pressed Ms. McNeill about the agency’s authority and operational changes, and said they were frustrated that the acting ICE director, Todd Lyons, declined to testify.

"Why are we having a hearing with Department of Homeland Security officials who know nothing about ICE?" Representative Dan Goldman said.

Key Topics

Politics, Ha Nguyen Mcneill, Tsa, Ice, Homeland Security Committee, Lopez Belloza