Chaotic video shows neighbors trying to stop ICE from detaining mother
'Harrowing' video shows ICE operation in Massachusetts
Two people were arrested for trying to stop ICE from detaining a mother who had two children with her when she was handcuffed, including a newborn baby.
"Harrowing" video shows ICE agents detaining a mother in Massachusetts as dozens of neighbors surrounded the immigrant family to try and stop it. The chaos led to two arrests, including the daughter of the woman detained by ICE and a candidate for the local school board.
According to Worcester Police, officers were dispatched to the area around 11:15 a.m. Thursday in response to reports of 25 people surrounding a federal agent. Someone also called to report that ICE agents were refusing to show a warrant to the crowd.
Worcester, MA ICE operation
What we know:
Immigrant advocates told Boston.com it all started when neighbors saw federal agents interacting with a Brazilian mother who was with her 16-year-old daughter and a newborn baby. Local reports say the family had been targeted by ICE and the father was detained a day earlier.
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Neighbors formed a circle around the family to try and prevent ICE from detaining them as others chanted, "Don’t take the mother!" and "They don’t have a warrant!"
When police arrived, federal agents had already handcuffed the mother and placed her in the back of a vehicle. The agents were trying to leave, but the "crowd was unruly" and people were putting their hands on federal agents, police said.
A still image from video showing a mother being detained by ICE in Massachusetts as neighbors try to stop it. (@iwontstealthemooniswear_ via Storyful)
The detained mother’s 16-year-old daughter was holding a newborn baby and standing in front of the ICE vehicle. When officers told her she was endangering the baby, she handed the infant to someone else and then went after the SUV. Police said she kicked the vehicle, and officers believed she was going to try to jump in front of it.
The 16-year-old was arrested for reckless endangerment of a child, disturbing the peace, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest. Video from NBC Boston shows the teen briefly escape from police, as officers chase her and slam her face on the ground. The infant was not injured, and immigrant advocates say the baby’s mother was not detained.
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Police said another woman, 38-year-old Ashley Spring, reportedly pushed multiple officers as they tried to arrest the teen. She also reportedly threw an "unknown liquid substance" on them. Spring was arrested for assault and battery on a police officer, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon (unknown liquid), disorderly conduct, and interfering with a police officer. Spring is a candidate for the local school board, reports say.
Police said the incident remains under investigation and more charges are possible.
What we don't know:
ICE declined to comment on the operation or the chaos that unfolded.
City leaders call video ‘harrowing’
What they're saying:
In a statement released on social media, City Manager Eric Batista called the incident "disturbing" and said footage of a family being separated is "harrowing."
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"My heart goes out to all those impacted by today’s events and the growing tension we all feel due to the national political climate," Batista said in the statement. "I want to reassure our community that the municipality will never target individuals based on their immigration status and reaffirm that the City of Worcester and Worcester Police Department does not assist with ICE civil detainments, according to Massachusetts State Law, but may not interfere with it. However, it is the municipality and department’s responsibility to uphold the law and protect the peace of our community."
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Worcester Mayor Joseph Petty told Boston.com that ICE did not notify the city about their detainment plans.
"The fear of ICE tearing a family apart is the worst nightmare of so many in our city," Petty said. "Simply put, we cannot have this happen in our community."
Dig deeper:
According to Census data cited by Boston.com, nearly a fourth of Worcester’s population is foreign-born.
The Source: This report includes information from the Worcester Police Department, the Worcester City Manager's Office, Boston.com, NBC Boston and the U.S. Census.