Lee Jung-hoo, 28, a baseball player with the San Francisco Giants in Major League Baseball, was briefly detained by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) during entry at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). The situation was quickly resolved as a "simple administrative mistake," with former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a political heavyweight, personally stepping in.
On the 21st (local time), according to local outlets including the San Francisco Chronicle and The Athletic, Lee was detained by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) immediately after arriving at LAX the same day from Incheon International Airport. Lee was entering the United States to attend a team event and prepare for the new season. The detention reportedly lasted about an hour.
U.S. media said the detention stemmed from incomplete entry documents. Scott Boras, Lee's agent, said in a local media interview that "it is not political or a serious issue at all." Boras said, "It appears one of the required documents was inadvertently left out." The Giants also said in an official statement, "Lee Jung-hoo briefly faced difficulty with the entry process due to a paperwork issue, but it was resolved after providing explanations to the authorities." They did not specify which document it was.
However, because he is a key Major League player and a regional sports asset, the response differed from a routine hiccup. Nancy Pelosi, the former House speaker whose district includes San Francisco and now a Democratic representative, personally stepped in to resolve the situation. A Spokesperson for Pelosi's office said, "We worked closely with the Giants, colleagues in Congress, and federal government official to help secure Lee Jung-hoo's release."
The episode occurred as U.S. President Donald Trump, after taking office, has broadly tightened border controls and visa screening. However, given that the U.S. administration has applied flexible entry procedures for athletes participating in major international sports events such as Major League Baseball, major outlets said this case was likely an individual paperwork mistake unrelated to any policy shift. Lee stayed in Korea during the offseason and entered the United States on schedule to prepare for this season.
Lee is the son of Lee Jong-beom, who made his mark on Korean professional baseball. After dominating the domestic professional league, he moved to the United States at the end of 2023 through the posting system (closed competitive bidding). He drew attention by signing a massive six-year, $113 million (about 166 billion won) contract with San Francisco at the time. Entering his third year with the club, this year is a crucial period for him to cement his place as a core outfielder.
The San Francisco Giants said the incident will not affect Lee's upcoming schedule. After being released at the airport, Lee immediately traveled to San Ramon, California, to attend the team's fan fest on the 24th. He will then head to Scottsdale, Arizona, to join spring training. He is also set to play for Korea's national team at the World Baseball Classic (WBC) in March.