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Footage Shows Masked ICE Agents Detain 3-Year-Old Boy, Mom at Texas Court
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
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A Texas man has told Newsweek that federal immigration agents detained his wife and 3-year-old son.
Arianny Parra Sanchez, a 42-year-old preschool teacher from Venezuela, was arrested at the immigration court in San Antonio.
Her husband, Roswell Enrique Pérez Nieto, spoke with Newsweek in an interview in Spanish and described the moment his wife and son were detained by masked Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.
Exclusive footage obtained by Newsweek shows the moment the wife and son are led away by President Donald Trump's immigration enforcers. Pérez Nieto can be seen crying following the arrest.
"I didn't dare to approach her because I was scared," he said.
Exclusive footage obtained by Newsweek shows the moment Arianny Parra Sanchez and her son are led away by ICE. Roswell Enrique Pérez Nieto can be seen crying following the arrest.
Exclusive footage obtained by Newsweek shows the moment Arianny Parra Sanchez and her son are led away by ICE. Roswell Enrique Pérez Nieto can be seen crying following the arrest.
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Pérez Nieto's fear increased during the arrest due to his immigration status.
"They were going to their first court. And they dismissed her case and she was automatically arrested there."
Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told Newsweek: "On June 5, 2025, ICE arrested Arianny Parra Sanchez—an illegal alien from Venezuela. She entered the U.S. on December 11, 2024 through the disastrous CBP One app, and was released into the country by the Biden administration. If individuals have a valid, credible fear claim, they will continue in immigration proceedings, but if no valid claim is found, aliens will be subject to a swift deportation."
Pérez Nieto entered the U.S. on a work permit in November 2023, and Parra Sanchez and her child entered the country in December 2024.
In January, the Department of Homeland Security issued a new directive reversing its policy on protected areas and courthouse arrests. The original policy restricted ICE enforcement in sensitive locations, including courtrooms, to ensure that individuals could access vital services without fear of detention.
Pérez Nieto said he feels "devastated because I have my son in detention. A 3-year-old boy we call every day, and tells me to come to get him out of here."
He also shared concerns about his son's health, explaining that although his son is supposedly receiving antibiotics, the boy requires specialized care for an unspecified eardrum condition.
"Supposedly, they're giving him an antibiotic, but my son has to see a specialist," he said.
The family is enduring cramped and difficult conditions at the Dilley Immigration Processing Center. Pérez Nieto described how six families share a single room, highlighting the emotional and physical toll.
McLaughlin denied Pérez Nieto's remarks about conditions in the facility.
"Sanchez and her son were taken into Dilley Immigration Processing Center, which is specially designed to house families. Allegations that the facility is overcrowded and that they did not receive medical care are FALSE. Dilley is at less than half its capacity.
"ICE provides comprehensive medical care from the moment an alien enters ICE custody, including dental and mental health intake screening within 12 hours of arriving at each detention facility."
Roswell Enrique Pérez Nieto, Arianny Parra Sanchez, and their 3-year-old son in happier times.
Roswell Enrique Pérez Nieto, Arianny Parra Sanchez, and their 3-year-old son in happier times.
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The family has been left devastated by the separation under Trump's crackdown on undocumented immigrants. The White House has said anyone living in the country illegally is considered to be a "criminal." The administration is enacting plans to carry out what it calls the largest deportation operation in U.S. history as part of the Republicans' hardline immigration agenda.
As the Trump administration ramps up pressure on the nation's immigration enforcers to increase arrests and deportations, ICE appears to be deploying a new strategy that places apprehended migrants into expedited deportation proceedings, a process that allows for faster removal without the need for traditional court hearings.
Determined to reunite with his wife and son, Pérez Nieto vows to fight against the new wave of family separations being carried out by the administration.
