Watch: ICE agents drag mother away from baby during violent arrest
A new video from Worcester, Massachusetts, has captured the violent arrest of a teenage girl by immigration officers, showing her face being slammed into the ground during a neighbourhood raid that has sparked public outrage and renewed scrutiny of ICE operations.
The footage, filmed by witnesses and shared online, shows chaos erupting as Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents attempted to detain a Brazilian woman who was with her newborn and teenage daughter. The dramatic events unfolded on Eureka Street late Thursday morning, as a crowd of about 25 residents formed a human barrier around the family in an attempt to block the arrest.
Chants of 'Don't take the mother!' and 'They don't have a warrant!' rang out, with community members demanding to see official documentation from the agents.
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According to several onlookers, the ICE officers claimed they didn't need to present a warrant, fuelling further unrest. By the time local police arrived, the mother had already been placed in an ICE vehicle. As tensions escalated, the woman's 16-year-old daughter still holding her baby sibling stood in front of the vehicle in a desperate effort to stop it from leaving.
She eventually handed the infant to a bystander before kicking the SUV.
Police allege the girl attempted to jump in front of the vehicle. Moments later, officers tackled her to the ground. NBC Boston footage shows her being restrained with her face slammed into the pavement as she screamed. She was arrested on multiple charges including child endangerment and resisting arrest. The infant was unharmed.
Another woman, Ashley Spring a candidate for the local school committee was also arrested after allegedly pushing officers and throwing an unknown liquid at them.
She faces assault and disorderly conduct charges.
City officials have since denounced the operation. City Manager Eric Batista described the incident as 'harrowing,' while Mayor Joseph Petty called it 'devastating' and said ICE had not informed city officials in advance.
'The fear of ICE tearing a family apart is the worst nightmare of so many in our city,' Petty said.
Worcester police maintain they were attempting to de-escalate the situation, but local leaders and immigrant rights advocates are demanding an investigation into both ICE and police conduct.
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