Cartersville Man Says ICE Detained Him at Airport by Mistake

A Cartersville man says he was wrongly detained by ICE agents at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport while boarding a flight for a work trip to Las Vegas. John Phillips told WSB-TV's Ashlyn Webb he had already cleared TSA, had his ID checked and passed through facial recognition screening before three ICE agents in tactical gear stopped him on the jet bridge. He says he was pinned against the wall and handcuffed despite telling agents he was a U.S. citizen and not resisting. After several minutes in cuffs, Phillips says agents checked his Georgia ID and realized they were looking for a different man — one from England who happened to share his name and birthdate but did not resemble him. He was then released. Immigration attorney Charles Kuck said a matching name and birthdate alone does not establish the probable cause required for an arrest. Delta Air Lines said it does not control law enforcement decisions but is reviewing the incident and has reached out to Phillips directly. ICE confirmed the encounter, saying it occurred during a targeted enforcement effort and that officers released Phillips once they verified he was not the individual they sought. Phillips says the experience has left him rattled and questioning airport security protocols.