Video Footage Exposes Delta Air Lines' Involvement in Immigration Detainee Transport
Newly released video footage has revealed that Delta Air Lines was responsible for transporting 5-year-old Liam Ramos and his father to a Texas immigration detention center after they were detained by federal immigration enforcement agents in Minneapolis. The footage, obtained by activist Nick Benson through a public records request, shows the pair waiting to board a Delta flight at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport on January 21, en route to the South Texas Family Residential Center in Dilley, Texas.
Activist Uncovers Critical Evidence
Nick Benson, a Minneapolis plane enthusiast and member of the grassroots organization MN50501, shared the video on social media, stating it is likely the only known film documenting how Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) uses regular commercial flights to transport children to detention facilities. Independent journalist Gillian Brockell first reported on Benson's findings, bringing national attention to the case.
Delta Air Lines declined to comment directly on the incident. Instead, the airline provided guidance indicating that the federal government books air travel through third parties, and carriers do not have advance notice of passengers' identities or reasons for travel. Delta also referenced an ABC News report from February 1, which mentioned the airline flew Ramos and his father back to Minneapolis from the detention center, though the story did not explicitly name Delta.
Details of the Detention and Aftermath
The video footage is remarkably clear, capturing Ramos and his father at various points in the airport, accompanied by at least two plainclothes federal agents. This occurred a day after federal agents detained Ramos, whose photo in a blue hat and Spiderman backpack went viral globally. Following the flight, Ramos and his father spent nearly two weeks at the Dilley facility, where Liam's health deteriorated rapidly.
Representative Joaquin Castro, a Democrat from Texas, intervened to secure their release and return to Minneapolis. Ramos' parents, originally from Ecuador, are not in the U.S. illegally and have no criminal record. In a controversial move last month, the Department of Homeland Security attempted to abruptly end the family's asylum claim, potentially leading to immediate deportation. However, a judge granted a continuance, allowing them more time to present their case.
Broader Context and Ongoing Monitoring
Benson discussed his efforts with HuffPost in February, expressing suspicions about Delta's role in quietly transporting detainees to immigration facilities in Texas. The detention of Ramos occurred during a surge of immigration agents in the Minneapolis area under the Trump administration, which traumatized local immigrant communities. Although the administration recently declared an end to this surge, Benson continues to document ICE activities, posting photos of immigrants in shackles being loaded onto planes at the airport.
He noted on social media that as of last week, there are two weekly ICE Air flights at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, on Tuesdays and Fridays, with volunteers observing despite recent snow hindering visibility. This case underscores ongoing debates about immigration enforcement practices and the involvement of commercial airlines in detainee transfers.
