Video shows ICE agent smash van window to get man in Massachusetts immigration raid
Video of an ICE raid in Waltham, Massachusetts shows an agent smash the window of a work van to get a man out. Witnesses described it as extremely upsetting, but some supported the agent's actions.
It happened early Tuesday morning on Moody Street as the agent approached the unidentified man who was sitting in the passenger seat. He refused to get out.
Waltham ICE raid video
Jose Gonzalez was on his way to work when he saw it happen. He stayed a block away and just watched. The incident was recorded on video. Gonzalez got it from a friend and posted it on social media.
"Last I saw, it was like 22,000 people who saw it," he said.
In the video, the ICE agent is seen asking the man repeatedly for identification, saying he would leave him alone if he provided it. The man stayed in the van with the door closed. Gonzalez said five or six people were trying to assist the man by verbally protesting while the raid was happening.
"He has the windows shut. Not reacting to anything, because I guess he knows his rights as well," said Gonzalez, "It definitely looks like the guy was going to work. Probably, I assume, he was getting his morning coffee."
By law, a federal agent must identify themselves if they ignore bystanders who ask. The agent did not identify himself in the video. Eventually, the agent smashed the window, unlocked the door and took the man out.
"No reaction. They just broke the window... you know how they don't care," Gonzalez said.
As the man was being taken away, bystanders can be heard in the video giving him advice and asking ICE agents if they think what they're doing is right.
"They are ruthless, just taking this guy, and they don't know if he is a legal resident or not," Gonzalez said.
This incident came a little more than a week after another ICE raid in Waltham where a 12-year-old boy was left alone on a street.
Massachusetts state senator supports ICE
"I have been on ride-alongs with them," said Massachusetts state Senator Peter Durant. "They don't want to go pound the doors down. They don't want to go into a situation that's dangerous for them or the people inside."
Durant represents Worcester and Hampshire counties. Last week, a woman in Worcester was taken into custody by ICE agents. The incident led to a confrontation between citizens and police. Two people were arrested for intervening.
"This person was arrested back in February for assault and battery on their pregnant teenage daughter," said Durant, talking about the person arrested by ICE.
He said if the person was a legal citizen, "we would be outraged. We would say this person needs to be held accountable. They need to be taken off the streets. They're going to be put in prison."
Durant fears someone will get hurt as people attempt to intervene in situations.
"To believe that they are going down the street just randomly grabbing people makes no sense whatsoever," Durant said.
