Green card holders held for days at SFO as San Francisco presses CBP

San Francisco officials have asked U.S. Customs and Border Protection to explain why travelers, most of them green card holders, were held at San Francisco International Airport for more than 72 hours, setting an Oct. 15 deadline.

Travelers arriving at San Francisco International Airport (SFO) have been held by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) for longer than the agency’s 72-hour standard, and most of them were lawful permanent residents.

Federal data reviewed by the San Francisco Chronicle showed that from January to July 2026, 25 people were held at SFO for more than three days. Nineteen of them held valid green cards and were later transferred to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention centers. Nationwide, CBP held more than 400 travelers past the limit in the same period, including 146 green card holders.

Chairs instead of beds

A CBP officer processing travelers at an airport (file photo)

Detainees reportedly slept upright in chairs under lights kept on around the clock and were limited to short, supervised phone calls. In one case, Tae Heung “Will” Kim, a Korean-born doctoral student with a green card, spent more than seven days at the airport facility after returning from a trip to South Korea, according to his lawyer.

City sets Oct. 15 deadline

On Oct. 6, City Attorney David Chiu and SFO Airport Director Mike Nakornkhet sent a letter to CBP’s San Francisco leadership expressing concern that travelers were being held for days in poor conditions without access to lawyers.

The letter asks CBP to provide medical screenings and access to licensed medical professionals and prescription drugs, phones to reach attorneys and family members, clean bedding and clothing, and separate sleeping areas where lights can be dimmed at night. The officials also requested records on CBP’s use of its space at the airport and asked for a response by Oct. 15.

U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla

CBP says processing times vary depending on each traveler’s file and the checks required, and that necessary medical care is provided. The agency has said it remains committed to the professional and humane treatment of everyone in its custody.

Lawmakers step in

Rep. Kevin Mullin, whose district includes SFO, was turned away from the facility on Aug. 20 and allowed in six days later. Sen. Alex Padilla made an unannounced visit on Oct. 1 and was let inside after knocking on the doors. Because the CBP area sits on federally controlled property, neither the airport nor the city has authority to stop detentions there.

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