ICE Agents Break Car Window to Stop Guatemalan Asylum Seeker
Massachusetts Family Seeks Answers After ICE Arrest
Table of Contents
- Massachusetts Family Seeks Answers After ICE Arrest
- Massachusetts Family Seeks Answers After ICE Arrest
- details of the Arrest
- Legal and Emotional Response
- ICE Response and Local Concerns
- Family’s Asylum Status
- Méndez’s Background
- Concerns Over ICE Tactics
- Recent Similar Cases
- Massachusetts Family and ICE Arrest: Q&A
- What happened in New bedford, Massachusetts?
- When and where did the arrest of Juan Francisco Méndez take place?
- What were the circumstances of Méndez’s arrest?
- What is Méndez’s background?
- What is the family’s legal status?
- What is the lawyer’s reaction to the arrest?
- What is the Mayor’s response to the arrest?
- Have there been any similar cases?
- What are the main issues of concern?
New Bedford, Massachusetts — A Massachusetts family is demanding answers from U.S.Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after agents allegedly broke a vehicle window with a hammer to detain a man seeking asylum.
Details of the Arrest
According to family lawyer Ondine Galvez-Sniffin, ICE agents arrested Juan Francisco Méndez on Monday in New Bedford as he was en route to a dental appointment. Galvez-Sniffin told The Associated Press that agents initially claimed they were searching for someone else before taking Méndez and his wife into custody.
Marilú Domingo Ortiz, Méndez’s wife, captured video footage showing ICE agents using a hammer to shatter the car window and restrain her. The family believes Méndez is currently detained at a facility in Dover, New Hampshire.
Legal and Emotional Response
“When I arrived, my client’s wife was sobbing, crying, and trembling,” Galvez-Sniffin recounted. She added that Méndez reportedly shouted “help me” in Spanish as he was being handcuffed.
“I approached the car and saw the broken window, glass throughout the back seat, and I was shocked,” the lawyer stated. “I have worked in immigration for 27 years, and this is the first time I have seen such drastic and violent measures taken.”
ICE Response and Local Concerns
An ICE spokesman did not respond to requests for comment.
New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell addressed the incident on X, stating that it “raises questions that require clear answers,” specifically questioning why local police were not notified beforehand. He also questioned whether ICE agents are targeting criminals, as promised, or conducting “an indiscriminate raid against individuals with uncertain immigration status.”
Family’s Asylum Status
Ortiz and her 9-year-old son already have asylum protections due to fears of persecution if they return to Guatemala.
Méndez’s Background
Galvez-Sniffin stated that Méndez has been in the U.S. for four years, working in the New Bedford fishing industry.He has no criminal record and was in the process of seeking asylum. his fingerprints were taken in December, with no criminal record appearing, according to Galvez-Sniffin.
“There was no reason to treat him and his wife the way they were treated,” Galvez-Sniffin said, adding that agents allegedly refused to review their asylum submission documents.
“My biggest concern,his family’s greatest concern,is to recover him,” she said.
Concerns Over ICE Tactics
This incident occurs amid growing concerns from New England governors and law enforcement officials regarding ICE’s arrest tactics.
Recent Similar Cases
Last month, ICE agent Brian Sullivan arrested Wilson Martell-Lebron, 49, as he left a Boston court. Boston Municipal Court Judge Mark Summerville found Sullivan in contempt, arguing that he deprived martell-Lebron of his rights to due process and a fair trial.
Although that case was dismissed, Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden described ICE’s actions as “worrying and extremely reckless.”
Rumeysa Ozturb, 30, a student from Türkiye at Tufts University, is also challenging her arrest by ICE.A recording shows her being surrounded by immigration agents while walking down a street in a Boston suburb. The recording captures Ozturb shouting as her cell phone is taken and she is handcuffed. Her lawyers have demanded her immediate release.
And she is handcuffed. Her lawyers have demanded her immediate release.
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Massachusetts Family Seeks Answers After ICE Arrest
New Bedford, Massachusetts — A Massachusetts family is demanding answers from U.S.Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after agents allegedly broke a vehicle window with a hammer to detain a man seeking asylum.
details of the Arrest
According to family lawyer Ondine Galvez-Sniffin, ICE agents arrested Juan Francisco Méndez on Monday in New Bedford as he was en route to a dental appointment.Galvez-sniffin told the Associated Press that agents initially claimed they were searching for someone else before taking Méndez and his wife into custody.
Marilú Domingo Ortiz, Méndez’s wife, captured video footage showing ICE agents using a hammer to shatter the car window and restrain her. The family believes Méndez is currently detained at a facility in Dover, New Hampshire.
Legal and Emotional Response
“When I arrived, my client’s wife was sobbing, crying, and trembling,” Galvez-Sniffin recounted. She added that Méndez reportedly shouted “help me” in Spanish as he was being handcuffed.
“I approached the car and saw the broken window, glass throughout the back seat, and I was shocked,” the lawyer stated. “I have worked in immigration for 27 years, and this is the first time I have seen such drastic and violent measures taken.”
ICE Response and Local Concerns
An ICE spokesman did not respond to requests for comment.
New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell addressed the incident on X, stating that it ”raises questions that require clear answers,” specifically questioning why local police were not notified beforehand. He also questioned whether ICE agents are targeting criminals, as promised, or conducting “an indiscriminate raid against individuals with uncertain immigration status.”
Family’s Asylum Status
Ortiz and her 9-year-old son already have asylum protections due to fears of persecution if they return to Guatemala.
Méndez’s Background
Galvez-Sniffin stated that Méndez has been in the U.S. for four years,working in the New Bedford fishing industry.He has no criminal record and was in the process of seeking asylum. his fingerprints were taken in December, with no criminal record appearing, according to Galvez-Sniffin.
“There was no reason to treat him and his wife the way they were treated,” Galvez-Sniffin said, adding that agents allegedly refused to review thier asylum submission documents.
“My biggest concern,his family’s greatest concern,is to recover him,” she said.
Concerns Over ICE Tactics
This incident occurs amid growing concerns from New England governors and law enforcement officials regarding ICE’s arrest tactics.
Recent Similar Cases
Last month, ICE agent Brian Sullivan arrested Wilson Martell-Lebron, 49, as he left a Boston court. Boston Municipal Court Judge Mark Summerville found Sullivan in contempt, arguing that he deprived martell-Lebron of his rights to due process and a fair trial.
Although that case was dismissed, Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden described ICE’s actions as “worrying and extremely reckless.”
rumeysa Ozturb, 30, a student from Türkiye at Tufts University, is also challenging her arrest by ICE.A recording shows her being surrounded by immigration agents while walking down a street in a Boston suburb. The recording captures Ozturb shouting as her cell phone is taken and she is handcuffed. Her lawyers have demanded her immediate release.
Massachusetts Family and ICE Arrest: Q&A
What happened in New bedford, Massachusetts?
In New Bedford, Massachusetts, a family is seeking answers after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents arrested Juan Francisco Méndez. According to the family, ICE agents broke the window of his car with a hammer during the arrest on Monday.
When and where did the arrest of Juan Francisco Méndez take place?
The arrest of Juan Francisco Méndez happened on Monday in New Bedford, Massachusetts.
What were the circumstances of Méndez’s arrest?
- ICE agents arrested Méndez en route to a dental appointment.
- Méndez’s wife, Marilú Domingo Ortiz, captured video footage of the arrest, showing agents breaking the car window.
- He was reportedly detained at a facility in Dover, New Hampshire.
What is Méndez’s background?
- Méndez has been in the U.S. for four years.
- He worked in the New bedford fishing industry.
- He has no criminal record.
- He was in the process of seeking asylum.
What is the family’s legal status?
Marilú Domingo Ortiz and her 9-year-old son already have asylum protections due to fears of persecution if they return to Guatemala.
What is the lawyer’s reaction to the arrest?
Ondine Galvez-Sniffin, Méndez’s family lawyer, reported Méndez shouted “help me” in Spanish during the arrest and the lawyer was shocked by the “drastic and violent measures” used by ICE agents.
What is the Mayor’s response to the arrest?
New Bedford Mayor Jon mitchell questioned the lack of prior notification to local police. He also questioned whether ICE agents were targeting criminals or conducting indiscriminate raids on individuals with uncertain immigration status.
Have there been any similar cases?
Yes, the article mentions similar cases, including:
- The arrest of Wilson Martell-Lebron by ICE agent Brian sullivan.
- The challenge to the arrest of Rumeysa Ozturb, a student from Turkey.
What are the main issues of concern?
The main concerns include:
- The violent tactics used by ICE agents during the arrest.
- Growing concerns from New England officials regarding ICE’s arrest procedures.
- ICE’s alleged refusal to review Méndez’s asylum documents.