A Southwest Airlines flight attendant has been arrested by ICE agents for allegedly overstaying his visa. Lorenzo Thompson was arrested by federal immigration authorities earlier on July 14 in Nashville. Thompson is a Jamaican citizen and entered the US on April 17, 2021, on a visa that expired in October later that year.

According to the Labor Council For Latin American Advancement (LCLAA), Thompson was in the process of obtaining US citizenship, and had a valid work visa that permitted him to work as a flight attendant for the world’s largest low-cost carrier. According to a crowdfunding page, Thompson had left his home country of Jamaica to seek refuge from ‘life-threatening abuse’.

Built A Stable Life In the Land Of The Free

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Since Thompson first arrived in the US, he had built a stable life and was following the legal process to gain US citizenship. He has no criminal records, and according to the flight attendants union TWU Local 556, he held a valid work visa and a pending asylum case. The LCLAA also noted that he was a dedicated flight attendant.

According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested Thompson in Nashville on July 14, as he was classed as an illegal alien from Jamaica. The full statement from a DHS spokesperson, as per ABC News, is detailed below:

“On July 14, ICE arrested Lorenzo Thompson, an illegal alien from Jamaica. 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.”

Thompson’s Status As A Southwest Flight Attendant

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Tremaine Hemans, who is appointed as Thompson’s lawyer, noted that her client was keeping in good spirits, and that Thompson does hold a full employment authorization document that permits him to be lawfully employed and travel domestically for Southwest until a decision is made in his current immigration case.

Hemans reiterated that while Thompson is experiencing trauma and remains in detention, he is holding his head high and is standing for all those who are following the rules to gain appropriate US citizenship, and should not be criminalized in this current civil immigration process.

Thompson’s union noted that they are continuing to monitor the situation and have set up a fund for legal expenses, while also keeping in close contact with him and family members. TWU Local 556 noted that they hope for a ‘swift resolution to this situation. Simple Flying reached out to Southwest for comment on the matter; however, an airline spokesperson did not immediately respond.

Southwest Is The Largest Operator At Nashville International Airport

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Thompson, who works for Southwest from its Nashville base, supports the airline’s operations at the Tennessee airport. Southwest remains the largest carrier at the airport. Data from the Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority shows that in the calendar year of 2025, the airline served more than 6.6 million departing passengers from the airport, more than four times its closest rival, American Airlines. Data for the top four airlines below:

The top five destinations served from Nashville include Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), Denver International Airport (DEN), Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), and Orlando International Airport (MCO). Southwest operates on all of these routes, except DFW, as it serves Dallas Love Field (DAL) to the Texan city instead.

Currently, the DHS is encouraging all illegal immigrants to self-deport from the United States, with a $2,600 voluntary assistance exit bonus and a free flight out of the country. While the situation for Thompson and his legal status remains unclear, his union and the LCLAA remain on hand to support him through these immigration proceedings.