Monica Moreta Galarza felt relieved after her husband's routine immigration hearing at New York City's 26 Federal Plaza.
A judge had ordered Rubén Abelardo Ortiz López to return to court in May, and she believed that meant a reprieve from his potential deportation to Ecuador. Instead, as soon as they stepped out of the courtroom with their children, she was torn from her husband's arms and thrown to the ground by immigration officers as they detained him.
One of them charged at me so aggressively that I was terrified, and he ended up throwing me to the ground, Ms Moreta Galarza told BBC News Mundo in Spanish. They treated us like animals. The incident, which has since gone viral, led to one immigration agent being temporarily suspended. But it is not an isolated occurrence. The BBC witnessed similar incidents at the courthouse, while others – including an aggressive encounter between Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the media – have sparked public outcry.
ICE's operations inside the building have created a charged, tense environment, attorneys said. I would honestly sum it up as just traumatic, said Allison Cutler, a New York Legal Assistance Group (NYLAG) attorney who works at 26 Federal Plaza. It's traumatic for the clients we're serving, for the families getting ripped apart.
While many of the detentions at 26 Federal Plaza are swift and non-violent, reporters and lawyers have witnessed several chaotic episodes in recent weeks. On a Tuesday in late August, the BBC watched as a dozen officers waiting outside a courtroom descended on a man, two women, and a small boy. They quickly detained the man, and a melee ensued as the group fought to stay together.
The crying woman, clinging to the detained man, was wrenched away by a federal officer - who appeared to be the same man who pulled Ms Moreta Galarza from her husband - as the man was carted off. The judge closed the courtroom and, as a result, the BBC could not verify details of the case. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) did not provide details of the man's current status, but stated that the agency takes its responsibility to protect children seriously.
After the images of the incident with Ms Moreta Galarza spread on social media, DHS reported that the officer involved in the incident had been disciplined. However, a pattern of aggressive enforcement has emerged, with numerous reported cases of physical confrontations between ICE agents and family members, as well as journalists attempting to cover the events.
As deportations continue to escalate under the current administration, legal experts express concern about the implications for individuals navigating an already fragile judicial process. The uncertainty leaves many immigrants in a precarious position where attending court hearings could lead to immediate arrest, while failing to appear risks automatic deportation orders.
This alarming trend challenges the established norms of legal representation and due process for immigrants, raising profound questions about justice and humanity in a time of heightened enforcement.
