# Schiff warns SFO detention center harms families

> Sen. Schiff says SFO airport holds immigrants without family contact for days.
- Title: Schiff warns SFO detention center harms families | Shortify
- Summary: Sen. Schiff says SFO airport holds immigrants without family contact for days. Sen. Adam Schiff warns that detainees at San Francisco International Airport…
- Keywords: senator adam schiff, san francisco international airport, customs and border protection, immigration detention, green card holders, cbp policy, family contact, news, local, Schiff, warns, SFO
- Source: The San Francisco Standard — https://sfstandard.com/2026/10/20/separated-family-terrified-schiff-raises-alarm-sfo-detention-center
- Published: 2026-10-20T20:21:18+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: senator adam schiff, san francisco international airport, customs and border protection, immigration detention, green card holders, cbp policy, family contact, news, local
## Schiff visits SFO detention center
Sen. Adam Schiff visited a Customs and Border Patrol facility at San Francisco International Airport Tuesday.

> It’s not meaningful to get a list of attorneys if you can’t call them
## Detainees unable to contact family
Schiff said those held at the airport facility cannot call family members or attorneys themselves.

> They go through that trauma, separated from family and being terrified
## Lawful residents detained
Schiff noted lawful permanent U.S. residents are detained without access to family for hours or days.

> they’re sort of just at the whim of what CBP is doing, and they have no recourse
## SFO facility conditions
The holding room at SFO, called the 'in-transit lounge,' has showers and reclining chairs but is not for long-term detention.

> Schiff says the detention facility at SFO was renovated in July
## CBP policy violations
Schiff said the facility violates CBP policy by detaining green-card holders longer than 72 hours.

> They go through that trauma, separated from family and being terrified
## Family trauma risks
Detainees fear family members will be asked to call Customs and Border Patrol after leaving messages.

> Or they leave a message, and people are afraid to return the call because they’re being asked to call Customs and Border Patrol
## Key takeaway

Sen. Adam Schiff warns that detainees at San Francisco International Airport cannot call family or attorneys, risking trauma.