Ice officer relieved of duties' after video shows him manhandling woman at New York immigration court

"A federal officer for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) has been relieved of his duties after a video showing him pushing a woman to the floor at an immigration court in New York City spread quickly on social media. Tricia McLaughlin, assistant secretary for public affairs at the Department of Homeland Security sent a statement to the Guardian, saying the officer's actions were unacceptable and beneath the men and women of Ice. This officer is being relieved of current duties as we conduct a full investigation, McLaughlin added."

"ProPublica identified the woman as Monica Moreta-Galarza, from Ecuador. The video captures Moreta-Galarza pleading with the now-suspended officer. He tries to dismiss her by saying adios. When Moreta-Galarza touches his shoulder, he grabs her, pushes her across the hallway, against the wall and on to the floor, where it appears she bangs the back of her head."

"Utterly distraught, the women gets to her feet. After the incident, Democratic congressman Dan Goldman, of New York, said that Moreta-Galarza fled to his office with her two young children. ProPublica also reported that Moreta-Galarza was later taken to hospital. Goldman called it an example of secret police officers who are attacking our communities with excessive violence and they just think that they can do it with impunity, because nobody is holding them accountable, in comments to the media posted on X by ProPublica."

An ICE officer was relieved of duties after video showed him pushing a woman to the floor at an immigration court in lower Manhattan, and DHS said the actions were unacceptable. The clip shows a woman and a young girl pleading as officers arrest a man at 26 Federal Plaza amid increased ICE arrests and protests. ProPublica identified the woman as Monica Moreta-Galarza of Ecuador; she appears to hit the back of her head and was later taken to hospital. Democratic congressman Dan Goldman said she fled to his office with her children and condemned the incident as an example of excessive violence and impunity.

Read at www.theguardian.com