Chantal Alejandra Morales Rojas was detained by ICE at Denver International Airport for a visa overstay. While the government claims she is unlawfully present, her attorney cites a pending legal application and work permit as grounds for her stay. She is being held at a facility currently undergoing a tuberculosis investigation, prompting a federal habeas corpus filing for her release.
- ICE agents detained Chantal Alejandra Morales Rojas on a Southwest Airlines jetway for an alleged visa overstay.
- Supporters raised over one hundred thousand dollars for her legal fees through a viral GoFundMe campaign.
- A federal habeas corpus petition challenges her detention at a facility currently under investigation for tuberculosis.
ICE agents detained Chantal Alejandra Morales Rojas on a Southwest Airlines jetway Monday, July 20, as she prepared to fly from Denver International Airport to Oakland, California. The arrest removed her from a departing flight and placed her in federal custody over a visa that expired January 4, 2025.
A fellow passenger recorded plainclothes agents leading Morales Rojas through a terminal door and onto the tarmac. Agents then placed her in a white van marked with Department of Homeland Security insignia.
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Morales Rojas had traveled to Colorado the previous Thursday. She came to provide child care for an Ultimate Frisbee family during a tournament.
Supporters have raised more than $100,000 through a GoFundMe campaign within 48 hours of her arrest. The money is intended to pay her legal fees.
The Department of Homeland Security and the agency confirmed the detention in a statement issued July 21–22. The statement said Morales Rojas entered the United States from Ecuador on a visa that allowed her to remain until January 4, 2025.
"On July 20, 2026, ICE arrested Chantal Alejandra Morales Rojas, an illegal alien from Ecuador. She entered the country on October 20, 2024, on a visa that would allow her to stay in the country until January 4, 2025. In violation of our nation's laws, she overstayed her visa. She remains in ICE custody pending removal proceedings."
DHS also identified Morales Rojas as a J-1 exchange visitor, or au pair. The department said she "could self-deport" and maintained that she was unlawfully present after overstaying her visa.
Her attorney says a pending application allowed her to remain
Laura Lichter, Morales Rojas’ attorney, said her client had filed an application for asylum or another legal status. Lichter said the application allowed Morales Rojas to remain while officials reviewed her case.
Morales Rojas had passed background checks and held work authorization, according to her legal team. The attorney’s position conflicts with the government’s description of the case, which focuses on the expired visa and pending removal proceedings.
Her legal team filed a federal habeas corpus petition July 23. The filing seeks her immediate release or a legal justification for keeping her detained.
Morales Rojas remains at the Aurora Processing Center, a Colorado detention facility operated by the GEO Group. The detention has drawn additional attention because county health officials are investigating tuberculosis there.
County health officials cite a tuberculosis investigation at the facility
The Adams County Health Department confirmed a laboratory-confirmed case of active tuberculosis on June 25. On July 14, health officials said the GEO Group was "impeding" the investigation by denying access to medical records and patients.
At least 12 detainees may have tested positive, according to reports cited in the investigation. Some units reportedly lack air conditioning during a summer heatwave.
The health concerns now overlap with Morales Rojas’ detention challenge. Her petition seeks a decision on custody while she remains inside a facility under public-health scrutiny.
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment also issued a statement about the situation. The county health department is leading the referenced investigation.
Airport officials say federal agencies control their own operations
Airport officials said federal agencies have jurisdiction at the airport and do not have to notify airport authorities about their activities. That position covers enforcement actions carried out inside the terminal, including the detention captured in the video.
Southwest Airlines said it does not provide tips to the agency. The carrier also said the Department of Homeland Security and the Transportation Security Administration have independent access to passenger manifests.
The airline’s statement places the arrest outside the carrier’s own notification practices. Federal authorities, rather than Southwest, controlled the operation on the jetway.
The video has focused attention on the use of plainclothes agents at airport gates. Travelers and civil rights advocates have criticized that enforcement approach.
The arrest came during a rise in interior enforcement
The detention occurred amid what the agency described as a "dramatic uptick" in interior enforcement. ICE reported approximately 43,000 arrests in June 2026 alone.
Morales Rojas’ case therefore combines an airport interception with a broader enforcement campaign. Her flight was headed to Oakland, but agents stopped her before she boarded.
The government’s statement says she entered the country October 20, 2024, and remained after her authorized stay ended. Her attorney points to the pending application, background checks and work authorization as reasons she should not remain detained.
The habeas petition filed July 23 will put those competing positions before a federal court. Until then, Morales Rojas remains in custody pending removal proceedings, while the tuberculosis investigation continues at the facility where she is being held.
