The couple Juan and Marilu Mendez were driving around New Bradford, Massachusetts, on Monday April 14 when ICE agents surrounded them to detain Juan despite him having no criminal record.
The couple presumed it was mistaken identity
As the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) cars surrounded them, the agents kept calling Juan with the name of Antonio, which made the couple presume it was a case of mistaken identity.
The couple then called their lawyer, Ondine Galvez Sniffin, in order to know how they should act. The lawyer told them to stay in the car and not give information to the agents.
The agents wanted to reach them anyway
With the lawyer telling the couple to stay in the car, ICE agents were determined to get to Juan as two officers were caught on video smashing through the car window to get to the couple.
They eventually got into the car and allegedly ‘dragged’ the couple out of it.
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Juan has no criminal record
According to the couple’s lawyer, Marilu is an asylum seeker in the US but Juan is undocumented and is currently in the process of changing this. The attorney also highlighted that Juan has no criminal record.
Marilu spoke about the incident on the news
According to NBC, Marilu spoke to Telemundo Nueva Inglaterra about the incident, recalling, “They looked for a hammer and they broke the car window and dragged us out of the car.”
“Three ICE agents held my husband. They took us out unjustly… I tried to talk to them and ask them if they had an order to detain him. They didn’t respond or show me anything,” she added.
Juan is now in a detention center
“They had no reason to detain him. We’ve been following the rules of this country. We are doing things the right way. That’s why we have a lawyer,” Marilu added.
According to the lawyer, Juan is now in a detention center in Dover, New Hampshire, and is scheduled for a hearing on May 7.
The couple’s lawyer spoke about their rights
Galvez Sniffin, the couple’s lawyer, told NBC, “My clients were within their rights, they were very respectful and following and exerting their rights and stating their right to remain silent and stating their right to have legal representation and they were met with brutality. They were met with violence.”
The Mayor of New Bedford condemned ICE’s actions
Jon Mitchell, the Mayor of New Bedford, has publicly condemned ICE’s actions in this matter, with him saying on social media, “The incident raises questions that require clearer answers.”
“Recently, ICE appears to have broken from its long-standing practice of alerting our police department ahead of planned operations, a decision that poses safety risks to officers, ICE agents, and the public alike,” he said.
He requested acknowledgement from the Trump administration
Mitchel continued, “It also may preclude opportunities for local police to help deescalate tense situations like this last one.”
The Mayor went on to say that the movements of ICE agents weren’t previously indicated, ending his statement with, “The public deserves an explanation from the administration.”
