A Western Saharan man is the latest victim of ICE brutality after he was forcefully and violently taken out of an immigration court in New York City. The dramatic scene has sparked widespread reactions, with people sharply divided over how he was handled.
A video posted on Instagram shows the man being dragged by two hefty men, one pinning his arms behind his back, while the other gripped his shoulder and tugged at his clothes. Their rough handling made it clear they were attempting to move him to another floor in the building.
The tense moment unfolded in front of a swarm of press members, cameras flashing as an ICE agent tried to clear a path.
One agent could be heard shouting, "Go, go, go, go, go!" as the crowd surged forward. In the scuffle, another agent led the troop, and his glasses slipped to the floor in the heat of the moment, but he quickly kicked them back, picked them up, and placed them firmly on his cap. Another officer shouted, "Stay back!" as reporters pressed closer. Meanwhile, the Western Saharan man refused to remain silent. Struggling to catch his breath, he cried out: "This is the freedom!"
A journalist managed to shout a question: "Sir, what country are you from?"
Panting, the man replied, "I'm from Western Sahara!" just before being shoved into another room. The caption accompanying the viral video suggested that he had resisted arrest, hence the aggressive force used. It read, "ICE drags an illegal alien from Western Sahara by his collar outside immigration courts in NYC after he resists arrest."
As expected, the video ignited a storm of reactions in the comments section. "Immigration court shouldn't look like a cartel takedown," one user remarked, calling the scene chaotic. Another conflicted citizen wrote, "I love that we're going after criminals, but this looks like kidnapping. People are just trying to go through the legal process. France should reclaim the Statue of Liberty."
Someone else bluntly added, "Making it impossible to be legal," while another fumed, "It's like going to an animal sanctuary to hunt. Fuck ICE."
A fifth criticized the government's role: "Violent behavior and cruelty are highly desired in ICE and rewarded by the Trump administration." Finally, one commenter sounded an alarm, "So, my fellow Americans, when will we say enough is enough? When people are violently taken by ICE outside our own courts."
At the time of writing, it remains unclear what became of the man after the incident.