On Monday, July 13, officers from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) made an attempt to apprehend a man at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas. However, the operation was called off after a crowd of bystanders gathered around them, as reported by ICE.
The individual in question is identified by ICE as Phu Nguyen, a 57-year-old national from Vietnam. According to ICE, Nguyen had overstayed a visa that he legally obtained back in 2013.
This event at Harry Reid was documented by Chris Motley, a filmmaker who was returning home after working on a documentary project. The ensuing video, which is included below, displays Nguyen on the ground, shouting while two individuals in civilian clothes try to control him. In the background, Motley can be heard repeatedly asking, “What’s going on?” before the officers cancel the arrest and leave the area.
In the recorded footage, one of the individuals, dressed in a black hoodie with the hood up, is seen trying to subdue Nguyen. A second individual, described as a woman with blonde hair, is wearing a grey hoodie, black leggings, and a blue medical face mask.
As per ICE, the officers decided to disengage “to de-escalate the situation and to ensure officer safety.” They left Nguyen with one of his wrists still handcuffed as they exited the area.
ICE noted that Nguyen legally arrived in the U.S. on May 27, 2013, but his visa expired on May 26, 2015. The agency stated that Nguyen “refused to depart, violating our country’s laws.” They added that he was apprehended the next day at Los Angeles International Airport while trying to board a flight.
“Nguyen will receive full due process and remains in ICE custody while awaiting the results of his removal proceedings,” the agency confirmed.
ICE did not provide answers to inquiries regarding whether enforcement actions are commonly implemented by officers in civilian attire or where Nguyen is currently detained.
Motley, who shared the video on his Instagram, mentioned that he recorded the incident to capture what was occurring and did not expect it to attract such significant attention.