A shocking new video shows the tense moment when a crowd of angry Massachusetts residents confronted federal immigration agents who were trying to arrest a mother with her child in her arms.
The incident took place around 11:15 a.m. on Thursday in Worcester, Massachusetts, on Eureka Street. Neighbors say the woman was with her teen daughter and newborn baby when Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents moved in to detain her. Just the day before, ICE had arrested her husband, according to the local immigration justice group LUCE.
This incident comes just weeks after Todd Lyons, the acting director of ICE, said the agency was preparing for a second wave of arrests in the Greater Boston area as part of President Donald Trump’s tough immigration policy.
The viral video, taken by a witness at the scene, shows the woman clinging to her infant as ICE agents try to take her into custody. A crowd of about 25 people quickly gathered, with one person shouting, “Show us your ID! Show us your warrant!” Another voice is heard demanding the agents stop the arrest. “We don’t have to show you anything,” an ICE agent replies.
As tensions rise, ICE officials called for backup from the Worcester police. The police later described the crowd as “unruly,” saying some people had “put their hands on federal agents and Worcester officers.”
The woman, who neighbors say is of Brazilian descent, handed her baby to her 16-year-old daughter before being taken away. The teen then stood in front of the ICE vehicle, trying to stop it from leaving while holding the baby. After giving the child to a neighbor, the girl kicked the car. Police said she initially managed to avoid being caught but was later tackled and restrained on the ground as she screamed. NBC Boston reported that the teen’s “face was slammed into the ground.” She was arrested on four charges, including child endangerment.
Among those arrested was Ashley Spring, a candidate for the Worcester School Committee, who confronted the officers. She faces charges of assault and battery on a police officer.
Worcester City Councilor Etel Haxhiaj, who was at the scene, said she and others formed a “human ring” around the detainees to protect them.
“As an elected official, it is my obligation to stand up for my constituents,” Haxhiaj said. “The way immigrants in Worcester and across the Commonwealth are being targeted and terrorized by this federal administration for deportation is absolutely unconstitutional.”
One neighbor expressed outrage, asking, “What kind of person takes a mother away from her family?” Another added, “Everyone is fed up! It’s disgusting seeing ICE across the country tearing families apart.”
City Manager Eric Batista called the events “disturbing” and “harrowing,” but emphasized that police were there to maintain order, not to assist ICE.
“My heart goes out to all those impacted by today’s events and the growing tension we all feel due to the national political climate,” he said.
Worcester Mayor Joseph Petty also spoke out, calling the situation “devastating.” He said, “As someone who prides themselves on leading a welcoming city, I am devastated to hear about the separation of a family, especially with Mother’s Day around the corner. The fear of ICE tearing a family apart is the worst nightmare of so many in our city.”
Watch the report from NBC Boston below:
