The Department of Homeland Security has placed an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer on leave after he was filmed shoving a woman to the ground at a New York immigration court.
He has been relieved of his current duties while DHS conducts a full investigation into the incident, DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement on Friday.
The officer's conduct in this video is unacceptable and beneath the men and women of ICE, McLaughlin added. Our ICE law enforcement are held to the highest professional standards.
Video of the incident, which was widely shared on social media, shows a crying woman approach the ICE officer in a hallway. He says adios to her several times before he grabs her, pushes her backwards and then knocks her to the ground.
Another video taken from a different angle shows the woman confronting the officer. She can be heard shouting take me, take me! in Spanish as the officer forcefully shoves her down the hallway and into a wall.
The incident unfolded after federal agents attempted to take the woman's husband into custody while she and her daughter clung to him. Reports indicate that she is originally from Ecuador.
In response to the incident, Democratic Congressman Dan Goldman, whose district encompasses the courthouse, has urged the DHS to take appropriate disciplinary action against the officer involved and to implement measures to prevent future occurrences.
The ongoing controversy highlights broader concerns regarding ICE operations in courthouses, particularly as these actions have been linked to the aggressive immigration enforcement policies implemented during Donald Trump's presidency.
This particular incident has significantly intensified discussions around the accountability and ethical standards expected from law enforcement agencies involved in immigration enforcement.
