Washington: An officer with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has been removed from duty and placed under investigation after allegedly shoving an Ecuadorean woman to the ground inside a Manhattan immigration courthouse, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said on Friday.
The incident occurred after the woman’s husband was taken into custody during a scheduled appearance at the courthouse earlier this week. Witnesses reported that she had attempted to approach her husband before the officer intervened and forcefully pushed her, causing her to fall to the floor.
Video footage of the encounter, which has since circulated online, drew sharp criticism from immigrant rights groups who called the officer’s conduct “unacceptable and abusive.”
In a statement, DHS confirmed that the officer has been “relieved of his duties” pending the outcome of an internal investigation. “We take any allegation of misconduct seriously and are reviewing the incident thoroughly,” a spokesperson said.
Advocacy organizations in New York said the case highlights broader concerns about ICE’s treatment of detainees and their families inside courthouses. “This is exactly why immigrant communities fear stepping into court, even when they are seeking justice or supporting loved ones,” said one activist group.
The woman, who has not been publicly identified, was evaluated for minor injuries and later released. Her husband remains in ICE custody while his immigration case proceeds.
The investigation is ongoing.
