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If you or someone in your family travels through LAX, Ontario International, or has an immigration hearing anywhere in the greater Los Angeles area — stop what you’re doing and read this. ICE agents are showing up at airport gates and check-in counters using your flight reservation data to make arrests. Courthouse arrests in Los Angeles are leading to near-instant deportations. And there’s more: a new public charge rule kicks in on September 18, 2026, and Temporary Protected Status for Haitian and Syrian nationals has been terminated — leaving hundreds of thousands of people suddenly without protection. At Tez Law P.C., we’re urging every immigrant client to get an immediate legal review of their situation. Don’t wait.
Background: What Is Happening Right Now
ICE Is Tracking You Through Airport Data
Here’s what’s actually happening. ICE has been tapping into passenger data collected by the TSA to locate and arrest noncitizens at check-in counters, gates, and terminals. We’re not talking about a small pilot program. TSA shared records on more than 31,000 travelers with ICE — resulting in over 800 arrests. This data comes from TSA’s Secure Flight Program, a system that was built for counterterrorism, not immigration enforcement. What’s changed is how aggressively that data is now being used to track ordinary people.
An internal memo documents at least 27 airport arrests across nine or more states, from California to Virginia. Every time you book a flight, airlines transmit your full name, date of birth, passport information, and travel itinerary to TSA — and that information is now being routed to ICE. A formal Memorandum of Agreement between TSA and ICE, obtained through a FOIA request, authorizes exactly that. Enforcement actions have been confirmed at a minimum of 15 airports in recent weeks, including facilities right here in California. This isn’t speculation. It’s documented.
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Courthouse Arrests in Los Angeles Are Leading to Fast-Track Deportation
The situation is equally alarming inside and outside Los Angeles-area courtrooms. ICE officers have detained migrants at courthouses in Los Angeles and other major U.S. cities following immigration court hearings. In many of these cases, immigration judges had just dropped active cases against migrants — and the case dismissal was used to place the individual immediately into expedited removal proceedings, a fast-track deportation process that bypasses lengthy immigration court reviews.
The numbers from Van Nuys Immigration Court in Los Angeles are alarming: ICE filed 217 oral motions to dismiss there, and immigration judges granted 215 of them immediately. Judges in this venue were far more likely to pave the way for ICE to deport noncitizens through expedited removal. Courthouse arrests are coordinated in advance, with Homeland Security lawyers identifying cases “amenable” to dismissal on internal spreadsheets. Most people detained do not have a criminal conviction and many have no attorney. A viral video showed ICE agents carrying a man from a Los Angeles courthouse into an unmarked car; the county’s top judge called the incident deeply disturbing, warning such operations will deter people from exercising their judicial rights.
September 18, 2026: The Public Charge Deadline You Cannot Miss
On July 20, 2026, DHS published a final rule in the Federal Register rescinding the 2022 public charge regulation. The new rule takes effect on September 18, 2026, and applies to all applications for admission and all applications for adjustment of status (green card) filed on or after that date. Under the new standard, USCIS officers will no longer be limited to counting cash assistance and long-term institutionalization — they are now directed to weigh all pertinent facts on a case-by-case basis. This means food stamps (SNAP), Medicaid, and housing vouchers may now count against a green card applicant. Officers also have broad discretion to consider your age, health, family connections, education, and work experience as part of the public charge determination. A revised Form I-485 will be required starting September 18, 2026; old versions submitted on or after that date will be rejected.
The critical strategic point: if you file a complete, well-documented I-485 before September 18, your application is evaluated under the current, narrower 2022 framework — which is significantly more favorable. Time is running out.
Haitian and Syrian TPS: Terminated
On June 25, 2026, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its decision in Mullin v. Doe, allowing for the termination of TPS for Haiti and Syria. The Court held that the judicial branch does not have the power to review an Administration’s decision to end TPS for any country. Approximately 350,000 Haitians and 6,000 Syrians are subject to the consequences of this ruling. The Syria TPS designation is now terminated, effective July 27, 2026, meaning Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) for Syrian TPS beneficiaries are no longer valid. For Haitian TPS holders, legal proceedings continue in lower courts, but the window of protection is closing. ICE is reportedly preparing to escalate operations targeting former TPS holders. Those expanded enforcement operations could begin imminently.
How This Affects Southern California and West Covina Immigrant Communities
Southern California has one of the largest and most diverse immigrant populations in the United States. Los Angeles, San Bernardino County — including West Covina — and the surrounding Inland Empire are home to large Haitian, Syrian, Central American, and mixed-status communities. The following groups face the most immediate risk:
- Visa overstays and undocumented individuals who travel domestically via LAX, Ontario, Burbank, or Long Beach airports — your flight data is now being screened by ICE.
- Anyone with a pending immigration court case at Van Nuys or other LA-area immigration courts — attending your own hearing could now result in your immediate arrest and placement into expedited removal.
- Green card applicants who have received any public benefits, including Medi-Cal, CalFresh, or Section 8 housing — your application strategy must be reviewed before September 18, 2026.
- Haitian nationals who held TPS and are now without status, and Syrian nationals whose EADs are no longer valid, face immediate enforcement exposure.
- Mixed-status families in the West Covina, El Monte, Baldwin Park, Covina, and Pomona areas where one household member’s arrest could separate U.S. citizen children from their parents.
ICE courthouse arrests have already taken place just miles from West Covina — federal agents arrested people outside the Rancho Cucamonga courthouse in San Bernardino County — demonstrating that enforcement is active throughout the greater LA basin. California bill SB 873, which would prohibit civil arrests within 1,000 feet of a courthouse, has been introduced but is still pending in committee and has not yet been passed into law.
What You Should Do Now
The combination of airport surveillance, courthouse arrest tactics, the September 18 public charge deadline, and TPS terminations creates a perfect storm of immigration risk. Here is what you should do immediately:
- Do not travel domestically by air if you have any immigration vulnerability. Your reservation data is accessible to ICE before your flight departs. Consult an attorney before booking any flight.
- Do not attend an immigration court hearing without an attorney. Appearing unrepresented significantly increases your risk of immediate arrest and fast-track deportation. Tez Law P.C. can provide emergency legal representation.
- File your I-485 green card application before September 18, 2026 if you are eligible. Applications filed before the deadline are evaluated under the current, more favorable 2022 public charge standard. Do not rush to file without reviewing your complete immigration history and benefits usage with an attorney first — an improperly filed application can itself trigger removal proceedings.
- If you held Haitian or Syrian TPS, consult an immigration attorney immediately to explore alternative forms of relief — asylum, cancellation of removal, U-Visa, VAWA, or other options that may apply to your situation.
- Know your rights. If ICE approaches you at an airport or courthouse, you have the right to remain silent. Do not sign any documents without speaking to an attorney. Memorize the Tez Law P.C. phone number or carry it with you.
- Do not disenroll from public benefits without legal guidance. Dropping benefits in a panic will not erase past usage from your record and may harm your family. An attorney can help you assess your actual risk and make a strategic, evidence-based decision.
- Prepare a family safety plan. Designate a trusted person who can care for your U.S. citizen children and contact your attorney in the event you are detained.
Why Choose Tez Law P.C.
Tez Law P.C., led by Managing Attorney JJ Zhang (California Bar #326666), is a results-driven immigration law firm serving clients across the United States from its West Covina, California base. We understand the communities of the San Gabriel Valley, the Inland Empire, and greater Los Angeles at a personal level — and we have the national reach to handle your case wherever you are located.
In this rapidly shifting enforcement environment, having an experienced immigration attorney is not optional — it is your most important protection. Our team monitors ICE enforcement trends, DHS policy changes, and USCIS rule updates in real time so that your strategy is always built on the most current law. Whether you need emergency representation at an immigration court hearing, help filing an I-485 before the September 18 deadline, or strategic counsel on TPS alternatives, Tez Law P.C. is ready to act. Schedule a free consultation today — time-sensitive deadlines require urgent action.
We also handle personal injury and other civil matters, making us a comprehensive legal resource for immigrant families navigating multiple legal challenges at once.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can ICE really arrest me at the airport just because I bought a plane ticket?
Yes — this is happening right now. TSA shares your flight reservation data, including your name, date of birth, passport information, and travel itinerary, with ICE through its Secure Flight Program. ICE has used this data to make hundreds of arrests, including inside airport terminals at check-in counters and at departure gates. If you have an unresolved immigration issue — an overstayed visa, a removal order, or pending proceedings — you are at elevated risk any time you fly, including on domestic routes. Before purchasing any airline ticket, consult with an immigration attorney at Tez Law P.C.
I have a mandatory immigration court hearing in Los Angeles. Should I still go?
Missing a court hearing will almost certainly result in an in absentia removal order being entered against you, which is extremely difficult to undo and will make your situation dramatically worse. However, appearing without an attorney at Van Nuys or other LA-area immigration courts right now is equally dangerous — courts there have been granting nearly all of ICE’s motions to dismiss, leading to immediate re-arrest and expedited removal. The right answer is to appear — but only with qualified legal representation. Contact Tez Law P.C. immediately to arrange attorney representation for your upcoming hearing. Do not go alone.
My family receives Medi-Cal and CalFresh. Will this ruin my green card application after September 18, 2026?
Not automatically — but it significantly complicates your case under the new public charge rule. Starting September 18, 2026, USCIS officers will have broad discretion to weigh benefits like Medicaid and food stamps as negative factors in a green card application. Benefits received before September 18 will continue to be evaluated under the 2022 rule, which is narrower and more favorable. Benefits received on or after September 18 may be weighed more broadly. Importantly, your U.S. citizen child’s own benefits do not count against your application. The best strategy is to consult Tez Law P.C. now — if you are eligible to file, doing so before September 18 means your case is judged under the more favorable current standard. Every family situation is different, and a rushed filing without proper documentation can backfire.
The immigration landscape in 2026 is moving faster and more aggressively than at any point in recent history. ICE is using airport flight data, courthouse arrest tactics, and fast-track deportation procedures simultaneously — while the September 18 public charge deadline and the collapse of Haitian and Syrian TPS leave hundreds of thousands of people without legal cover. Southern California and West Covina immigrant families cannot afford to wait and see how this unfolds. The time to act is today. Contact our immigration services team at Tez Law P.C. for an urgent case evaluation, or schedule a free consultation online. JJ Zhang and the Tez Law team are standing by to protect you and your family.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Contact Tez Law P.C. at 626-678-8677 or [email protected] for advice specific to your situation. Results may vary.