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4w ago

ICE Faces Backlash After Smashing Car Window to Detain Asylum Seeker in Massachusetts

Juan Francisco-Mendez, a Guatemalan asylum seeker with no criminal record, remains detained in New Hampshire as legal and community challenges to ICE's aggressive tactics escalate.

David Gomez along with his mother (L) and son (R)
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Widespread use of aggressive arrest tactics by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents across the country has raised questions about the legality of some operations. The Trump administration has also threatened cities and states with sanctuary laws. (AP file/Alex Brandon)

Overview

  • Video footage shows ICE agents using a hammer to smash a car window and forcibly detain Juan Francisco-Mendez in New Bedford, Massachusetts, on April 14, 2025.
  • Mendez, a 29-year-old Guatemalan national awaiting asylum approval, was mistakenly detained despite ICE reportedly seeking a different individual.
  • A federal judge in New Hampshire has ordered ICE to provide Mendez's attorneys with 72 hours' notice before any transfer, allowing time for legal action.
  • New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell has criticized ICE's actions, questioning the lack of local police notification and the agency's use of force.
  • The incident has intensified scrutiny of the Trump administration's expanded ICE operations, which have removed prior enforcement constraints and heightened fears in immigrant communities.