An immigration officer is no longer working in his role after videos shared online seemed to show him pushing a woman and pulling her hair at a New York City court. The woman was reportedly trying to protect her husband.
The video shows the woman talking to an ICE agent, who isn’t wearing a uniform. She keeps talking to him as he says “adios.” She then stands in front of him, seemingly to try and convince him of something.
The agent then pushes her, throwing her against a wall and then to the ground. People nearby can be heard screaming. The video ends with the agent standing over her and saying something.
According to New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, the woman did not touch the agent or pose any threat. He said she had to be taken to the hospital.
Another video shows the woman with her arms linked to a man, believed to be her husband, as he was being taken into custody. One agent is allegedly seen grabbing her hair while another person says to “grab her and pull her away.”
It’s unclear who the other person was. ICE hasn’t said if any other agents are being investigated.
According to Tricia McLaughlin, Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs at the Department of Homeland Security, the officer has been “relieved” of his duty. She said the officer’s behavior was unacceptable and that an investigation is underway. It’s not clear if the agent still works for the organization.
