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Masked Federal Agents Detain Man in Washington Heights; Video Fuels Calls for Answers

Local leaders question the legality of masked street arrests by federal agents.

Overview

  • Video from West 157th Street and Broadway shows agents forcing a man into an unmarked SUV as onlookers shouted for them to show their faces.
  • NYPD officers responded to a 911 call, sustained minor injuries in the scuffle, and withdrew after the agents identified themselves, with police noting they cannot perform civil immigration enforcement.
  • ICE and Homeland Security Investigations did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
  • Law enforcement sources identified the man taken into custody as Cesar Cortez, 36, of Guatemala, a detail not confirmed by federal agencies.
  • Council Member Shaun Abreu and Comptroller Brad Lander condemned the incident, and amNewYork reported at least one agent also took part in the Oct. 21 Canal Street raid.