Vietnamese UC Irvine student and dancer detained by ICE at LAX before flight
Sep 25, 2026·Location: Los Angeles, CA
Country of origin: Vietnam

Nguyen Phuong Anh To, known as "Toph," was detained by ICE agents at Los Angeles International Airport around 9 a.m. on September 25 while getting coffee before boarding a flight to Miami for a conference. She is a UC Irvine student in the U.S. on a student visa and a beloved member of the Midwest, New York, and Los Angeles dance communities, including the Essence dance community. Friends describe her as "an utter light to anyone who crosses her path." She is being held at a detention center about two hours from Los Angeles, and friends, including Iman Brooks, have organized a GoFundMe to cover legal fees, filing fees, bond, and commissary funds, with support from legal services and consent from To's parents in Vietnam.
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