ICE officer 'relieved of current duties' after violent confrontation caught on camera
An Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent seen on video pushing a woman at a federal courthouse in New York City on Thursday has been relieved of his current duties as the Department of Homeland Security investigates the incident, DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told ABC News.
In the video reviewed by ABC News, a woman can be heard pleading with the agent as her husband is being detained, saying "you don't care about anything." The agent can be heard repeatedly saying "Adios" before suddenly shoving the woman up against a wall and causing them to fall to the ground. The agent can then be seen standing over her as her crying children surround the woman.
"The officer's conduct in this video is unacceptable and beneath the men and women of ICE. Our ICE law enforcement are held to the highest professional standards and this officer is being relieved of current duties as we conduct a full investigation," McLaughlin said.
NYC Comptroller Brad Lander who was at the federal building Thursday but did not personally witness the incident posted on X, saying the woman's husband had been detained by ICE agents just moments before she was pushed to the ground.
"Seconds earlier, her husband had been abducted by masked ICE agents who did not identify themselves, did not present a warrant, did not give any lawful grounds for his detention," Lander posted.
Lander says the woman was taken to the hospital after the incident.
In an earlier clip, agents can be seen attempting to apprehend the woman's husband as he tells them he is not doing anything wrong.
"Just grab her, pull her away," an agent can be heard saying as another agent grabs the woman by the hair.
Rep. Dan Goldman, D-N.Y., said on social media the woman and her two young children "fled to my office for safety" after the incident and called on DHS Secretary Kristi Noem to take disciplinary action.
"Monica and her 2 young children fled to my office for safety after she was assaulted by this @ICEgov agent in an egregious act of excessive force. This is unacceptable conduct from this ICE agent. @Sec_Noem must take appropriate disciplinary action and implement measures to prevent this from happening again," he posted.
Goldman said Friday he sent a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi referring the ICE agent for criminal investigation.
"This conduct is unacceptable, and we need to make a deterrent effect by seriously investigating it for criminal wrongdoing," Goldman said. "I think anyone who sees that video would agree that that is excessive force."
A spokesperson for NYC Mayor Eric Adams said on Friday, "Like so many, we have seen the upsetting images of a federal agent appearing to shove a woman — whose husband had just been detained by ICE — to the ground, and we are pleased to hear this incident is being investigated. Our entire city is less safe when immigrants are afraid to use basic services and attend court hearings."
