SAN ANTONIO – U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers followed an immigrant inside his home while attempting to arrest him in a now-viral video, according to the Department of Homeland Security.
In the five-minute video posted to Facebook and seen nearly 3 million times, two armed men wearing gear that reads “POLICE” on their backs were seen searching for someone in a home, later identified by DHS as 34-year-old Gonzalo Mejia Ortega.
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During a Friday interview with reporters, U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-San Antonio, described the incident as a “home invasion” and called for an investigation.
WARNING: The below video contains strong language. Viewer discretion is advised.
According to a Homeland Security spokesperson, ICE officers were attempting to arrest Mejia Ortega, who had previously been deported and had three prior arrests for domestic assault.
Officers attempted to perform a vehicle stop on Meija Ortega, the spokesperson said, but he resisted arrest and fled on foot into his home.
The spokesperson said officers followed Mejia Ortega into his home, but he evaded them by jumping out of a window.
While exiting the house, the spokesperson said an individual assaulted an ICE officer.
The video shows a man shutting the door on an officer, before the officer turns around and pushes the man to the ground.
Officers said they attempted to arrest the individual, but left without completing the arrest after people interfered.
Castro described the video as a “scene out of Russia.”
“There’s no American way to explain that,” Castro said, in part. “These federal agents barging into their house with no warrant and moving people around wherever they want, refusing to leave and then roughing someone up at the house.”
The Department of Homeland Security said it is consulting with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to pursue federal criminal charges, and urged anyone with information regarding his whereabouts to contact the ICE Tip Line by calling 1-866-347-2423.
Read the full DHS statement below:
On February 5, ICE officers were conducting a targeted operation to arrest Gonzalo Mejia Ortega, 34, a violent criminal illegal alien from Mexico with three previous arrests for domestic assault. Officers had a warrant for his arrest. This criminal illegal chose to commit a felony by illegally re-entering the U.S. after he was previously removed.
When ICE Officers attempted to conduct a vehicle stop of Mejia Ortega, he resisted arrest and fled from law enforcement and ran inside his home. In carrying out their lawful duties, ICE officers pursued this violent criminal into his home. Mejia Ortega fled out a window and is still at large. Anyone with information regarding his whereabouts is urged to contact the ICE Tip Line at 1-866-347-2423.
While exiting the house, an individual assaulted an ICE officer. ICE officers attempted to arrest this individual for assault—a felony and federal crime—but agitators within the house interfered with the lawful arrest. For their safety, officers left the house without completing the arrest.
ICE is consulting with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to pursue federal criminal charges.
Homeland Security spokesperson
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