The forceful arrest of a Salvadoran immigrant at Salt Lake City International Airport has sparked widespread concern among city leaders, including Mayor Erin Mendenhall, who questioned the conduct of federal immigration officers involved in the incident.
Arrest Sparks Community Tension
The incident occurred Wednesday in the pre-security area of the airport and was captured on video by bystanders. The footage, later posted on social media platforms including Bluesky and Instagram, shows Marta Brizeyda Renderos Leiva, 39, being restrained by multiple plainclothes officers while crying out for help.
Witnesses can be heard pleading for compassion as she is escorted away by the men, one of whom wears a vest labeled “Police.”
According to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Renderos Leiva is an undocumented immigrant from El Salvador, who entered the United States in 2007. ICE said she has been under a final deportation order since February 19, 2020, issued in absentia.
In a statement, ICE said:
“U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is executing its mission of identifying and removing criminal aliens and others who have violated our nation’s immigration laws. All individuals in violation of immigration law may be subject to arrest, detention, and removal, regardless of nationality.”
Mayor Mendenhall Condemns Arrest Approach
Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall issued a strong rebuke of the federal operation, calling it “disturbing” and expressing frustration at the lack of coordination and transparency surrounding ICE enforcement actions.
“There is so much about ICE operations that create fear, and we know we’ll likely never receive answers to our many questions that surround them,” Mendenhall said Thursday. “What I do know is that nothing about this incident, like so many ICE operations, makes me feel safer as an American.”
Mendenhall raised specific concerns about why agents were in plain clothes and why the arrest took place in a crowded public location, which she called “the gateway to our state,” through which an estimated 28,000 people pass daily.
City Council and Police Clarify Role
The Salt Lake City Council also issued a statement emphasizing that local law enforcement was not involved in the ICE arrest and condemning the lack of coordination.
“Incidents like this create fear and uncertainty in our community,” the council said. “The operation was not coordinated with or directed by Salt Lake City police. We have requested additional information from federal agencies to promote transparency, accountability, and the well-being of all who live in and visit our city.”
According to city officials, a Salt Lake City Police Department officer initially responded to what appeared to be a disturbance. The officer later confirmed the agents’ federal identification but did not intervene, as local law enforcement is prohibited from interfering with federal immigration operations.
Broader Context: Immigration Enforcement Under Scrutiny
The arrest comes amid renewed crackdowns on undocumented immigration by the administration of President Donald Trump, whose policies have led to an increase in public arrests and deportation actions nationwide. Similar videos of ICE detentions have surfaced in recent years, often sparking intense debate and emotional responses online.
Salt Lake City officials reiterated that immigration status does not factor into how city police officers handle arrests or investigations. Mendenhall underscored that principle in her statement:
“Salt Lake police do not screen for immigration status when placing a person under arrest. Our focus remains on community safety and building trust with all residents.”
As of Thursday evening, ICE had not released additional details about the timing of Renderos Leiva’s deportation or the conditions of her detention.
