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Family Seeks Answers After ICE Incident in New Bedford
NEW BEDFORD, Mass. (AP) — A family in Massachusetts is calling for an investigation into a recent incident involving U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents who forcibly entered their vehicle, shattering a window, to detain a man they allege was in the process of seeking asylum.
According to the family’s attorney, Ondine Galvez-Sniffin, the agents were not pursuing Juan Francisco Mendez specifically when they apprehended him on Monday while he was en route to a dental appointment. Instead, they stated they were searching for another individual with a distinct name before forcibly removing Mendez and his wife from the car.
The chaotic encounter was captured on video by Mendez’s wife, Marilu Domingo Ortiz, showing agents using a hammer to break the car window prior to detaining Mendez. The family believes he is currently being held at a facility in Dover, New Hampshire.
Galvez-Sniffin described the emotional turmoil faced by Ortiz upon arriving at the scene, stating, “She was sobbing and visibly shaken.” Witnesses reported Mendez pleading for help in Spanish as he was taken away in handcuffs.
Galvez-Sniffin expressed her shock upon seeing the chaotic scene, stating, “I’ve been doing immigration work for 27 years, and I have never witnessed such extreme use of force.” She emphasized that the situation was alarming and unprecedented in her experience.
ICE has not responded to multiple requests for comment regarding the incident.
Mayor Jon Mitchell of New Bedford remarked via a post on X that the event raises numerous questions needing clarification, particularly why local authorities were not informed ahead of time. He questioned whether ICE is genuinely targeting criminals as previously promised during the Trump administration or if they are conducting indiscriminate sweeps for people with undefined immigration status.
Ortiz and her son, 9, have been granted protection under asylum status due to concerns over potential persecution if they were to return to Guatemala.
According to Galvez-Sniffin, Mendez has resided in the U.S. for the past four years, working in New Bedford’s seafood industry. She reported that he has no criminal history and is currently in the midst of applying for asylum, citing previous fingerprinting that yielded no incriminating results.
Galvez-Sniffin remarked, “There was absolutely no justification for the treatment Mendez and his wife received.” She also noted that agents refused to acknowledge his asylum application documentation during the arrest.
Concerns are mounting in New England over ICE’s approach to detentions, as echoed by the governor and local law enforcement officials.
In a separate case last month, ICE agent Brian Sullivan was found in contempt by Boston Municipal Court Judge Mark Summerville for arresting Wilson Martell-Lebron as he left a courtroom, effectively infringing upon his rights to due process and a fair trial.
Although that case has since been dismissed, it drew strong criticism from Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden, who characterized the agent’s actions as “troubling and extraordinarily reckless.”
Additionally, Tufts University student Rumeysa Ozturk, originally from Turkey, is also contesting her detention by ICE. A video of her arrest shows her being surrounded by immigration officials while walking in a Boston suburb. Ozturk was heard screaming as her cellphone was taken and she was subsequently handcuffed. Her legal representatives have been vocal in demanding her immediate release.
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