
An Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer who pushed a woman to the ground in New York City on Thursday has been relieved of his duties while the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) conducts an investigation into the altercation, the agency announced Friday.
DHS Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin called the ICE officerâs conduct âunacceptable and beneath the men and women of ICE,â in a statement on Friday. The incident was captured on camera and quickly went viral on social media.
âOur ICE law enforcement are held to the highest professional standards and this officer is being relieved of current duties as we conduct a full investigation,â McLaughlin added in her statement.
The incident took place in Manhattanâs lower Immigration court as federal agents attempted to take an Ecuadorian man into custody. The manâs wife and daughter clung to him, and as officers separated the family, one of them grabbed the womanâs hair. The woman confronted the officer leading the investigation into her husband right before he pushed her along the wall and onto the floor.
Throughout the incident, the ICE officer repeatedly said âadiosâ to the wife.
Press and bystanders in the hall where the altercation took place can be heard pleading with the officer, with one man repeating, âCome on, man.â
Democratic New York Rep. Dan Goldman wrote in a Friday X post that he was âglad to seeâ DHS Secretary Kristi Noemâs department âtake disciplinary actionâ against the agent. Goldman represents part of Manhattan, where the incident took place.
Democratic New York City Comptroller Brad Lander, who was in the building when the incident happened, told reporters on Thursday that the woman âdid not pose any threatâ to justify the officerâs actions. Lander also said she had to be taken to the hospital.
âWe can disagree on Immigration policy, but you canât watch that video and think that thatâs how you want United States law enforcement officials treating human beings,â Lander said.
Lander made headlines in June after ICE arrested him after the Democrat allegedly assaulted DHS officers. At the time, Lander was running in New York Cityâs Democratic mayoral primary, which was held a week later. Lander ultimately placed third in the primary, receiving 11% of the vote.
DHS referred the Daily Caller News Foundation to McLaughlinâs statement when asked for comment.
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