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By Mandy Taheri and Billal Rahman
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Lorenzo Thompson, a Southwest Airlines flight attendant, was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) while at work earlier this month and is being held at a detention facility in Mississippi.
A Department of Homeland Security (DHS) spokesperson told Newsweek that Thompson is “an illegal alien from Jamaica” who was arrested by ICE officers on July 14. The spokesperson said he “overstayed his visa and failed to depart” in 2021.
Thompson's arrest comes amid heightened immigration enforcement under President Donald Trump's immigration agenda. Administration officials say their efforts are aimed at enforcing immigration laws they believe were not consistently applied under previous administrations, including cases involving visa overstays, prior deportation orders and criminal records.
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Newsweek has reached out to Southwest Airlines for comment via email on Friday as well as the organizer of a GoFundMe created on Thompson’s behalf.
What to Know
Thompson was arrested at Nashville International Airport on July 14 and is being held in Adams County Correctional Center in Natchez, Mississippi, according to the ICE detainee tracker.
A DHS spokesperson said, “Thompson first entered the United States on April 17, 2021, on a visa set to expire on October 16, 2021. Against our nation’s laws, he overstayed his visa and failed to depart. He will remain in ICE custody pending his immigration proceedings.”
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A GoFundMe set up by his friend said Thompson “came to the United States legally from Jamaica in 2021, seeking safety from life-threatening abuse” and that he has a “valid work permit” and a “pending case with U.S. immigration.”
The precise legal status of Thompson's immigration case remains disputed. DHS says he remained in the country after his visa expired, while supporters maintain he has pending immigration proceedings and valid authorization to work in the United States.
Immigration attorneys note that individuals with certain pending immigration cases, including some asylum-related proceedings, may be eligible for federal employment authorization while their cases remain unresolved.
The Labor Council for Latin American Advancement (LCLAA) wrote in a social media post this week, “Enzo was following every legal step toward citizenship. He had a valid work visa and was a dedicated flight attendant, touching countless lives with his kindness.”
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Newsweek has reached out to LCLAA for comment via email on Friday. Newsweek has not independently verified the status of Thompson's immigration case beyond statements provided by DHS and supporters.
TWU Local 556, which represents more than 21,000 Southwest Airlines flight attendants and counts Thompson among its members, said in an Instagram post this week that one of its members had been detained.
“Our priority is, and always will be, standing with and supporting our Members. Every Member deserves to be treated with dignity and respect, and we are committed to ensuring this Member and their family know they are not alone during this difficult time,” the group said in the social media post. The organization has been in contact with the affected member and is helping coordinate legal counsel.
A DHS spokesperson reiterated the administration's stance, saying, "Being in detention is a choice. We encourage all illegal aliens to take control of their departure with the CBP Home App. 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. If not, you will be arrested and deported without a chance to return."
More than 43,000 people were booked into immigration detention in June, marking the highest monthly total of Trump's second term, according to newly released ICE data.
Who Is Lorenzo Thompson?
“I was shocked,” Edward Marq, a member of the LCLAA and a flight attendant for Southwest Airlines, told NBC 5. “He is a union brother to me,” he added.
He told the outlet, “Enzo came to America from Jamaica in 2021; he applied for and received a worker's permit, so he applied to work with Southwest Airlines, and he’s been with us all this time,” noting that Thompson has a pending asylum case.
“People describe Enzo as very loving, as very caring, very friendly, everyone that he has flown with has really enjoyed their flying and it is evident by the outpouring of support that I have seen on social media," Marq added.
A GoFundMe campaign organized on his behalf and the LCLAA state that Thompson has no criminal record. Newsweek could not identify any criminal records.
The fundraiser describes him as "honest, caring, and loyal," adding that he is "always ready to lend a hand without expecting anything back."
As of Friday afternoon, the campaign had raised nearly $45,000 to help cover legal expenses.
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Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Jason Lemon and Gray R. Thomas
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