ICE said Southwest Airlines flight attendant Lorenzo Thompson was arrested at Nashville International Airport in the Southwest Airlines ice case and is now in immigration custody. The agency said he will remain there pending immigration proceedings, turning a workplace arrest into a live legal fight for a member of TWU Local 556.
Nashville International Airport arrest
ICE said Thompson was arrested 10 days before July 24 at Nashville International Airport in Middle Tennessee. ICE said Thompson is a Jamaican citizen who entered the United States lawfully on April 17, 2021, at the Miami Port of Entry with permission to stay for six months, then never departed and remained in the United States illegally for five years.
ICE said Thompson was cooperative with officers and was taken into custody without incident. ICE also said Thompson would remain in custody pending immigration proceedings, which leaves the case in the hands of the immigration system rather than the airline.
TWU Local 556 response
TWU Local 556 said it has been in communication with the member's family and is working with the attorney retained by the member and with TWU Local 556's legal counsel to understand the circumstances and provide appropriate support. The union said it will continue to monitor the situation closely.
ICE also said, “Thompson never departed and remained in the U.S. illegally for five years in violation of the terms of his lawful admission,” and added, “Being in detention is a choice.” ICE further said, “The United States is offering illegal aliens $2,600 and a free flight to self-deport now. We encourage every person here illegally to take advantage of this offer and reserve the chance to come back to the U.S. the right legal way to live the American dream.”
The immediate next step is Thompson's immigration proceedings. For Southwest Airlines employees and union members watching the case, the practical question is now how the custody decision and the union's legal support shape what happens when the case leaves the airport and enters the immigration process.
