US Immigration and Customs Enforcement detained Chantal Alejandra Morales Rojas as she was boarding a flight from Denver to Oakland, California, prompting distressed reactions from fellow passengers captured on video. The incident has drawn attention because it involved an arrest at an airport during domestic travel, highlighting continuing tensions over immigration enforcement and the treatment of people facing removal proceedings.

The Department of Homeland Security said Rojas, an Ecuadorian national, entered the US on 20 October 2024 with permission to remain until 4 January 2025 and then overstayed her visa. Her lawyer and supporters dispute the wider characterisation of her case, saying she had followed immigration procedures and had a work permit and pending case; ICE says these do not provide legal status or prevent detention. Rojas was taken into ICE custody after being removed from the jet bridge.