Video shows children crying during ICE arrest in Harrison, NJ
Witness video showed children clinging to a man and crying as U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents arrested him in Harrison, New Jersey, on Wednesday.
In a statement, the Department of Homeland Security identified the man as Jhon Maykel Correa-Sangucho, a Honduran national whom the agency said was living in the United States illegally and had multiple traffic infractions.
Federal officials said ICE officers repeatedly instructed Correa-Sangucho to exit his vehicle, but he refused. According to the agency, officers ultimately removed him from the vehicle after he continued to ignore commands.
Video recorded by witnesses showed children crying and attempting to hold onto the man as agents carried out the arrest.
Harrison Mayor and the Town Council expressed concern following the arrest, saying in a statement that it was "heartbreaking to hear of children witnessing such a frightening and potentially traumatic experience in their own community."
Officials said they asked the school district to provide counseling and support services to any affected students.
DHS said Correa-Sangucho remains in ICE custody pending removal proceedings.
Federal officials also said a female passenger and a bystander attempted to interfere with the arrest and are under investigation for allegedly assaulting, resisting and impeding federal officers.
The agency acknowledged that two children were inside the vehicle when agents began the arrest.
In its statement, DHS defended the actions of the ICE agents, saying ICE agents are trained to use the "minimum amount of force necessary and receive ongoing training in de-escalation and use of force."
The incident comes amid heightened scrutiny of federal immigration enforcement operations across the New York City region.
Protests have also grown in New York City after federal agents shot a man during an ICE operation in the Marble Hill section of the Bronx while his 5-year-old son was inside the vehicle.
