Police arrested two people in Worchester after dozens of residents surrounded immigration agents who were detaining a woman.
According to advocates, an immigrant family was “targeted” by federal agents this week. After detaining the father on Wednesday, the agents came back to the home to arrest the mother on Thursday.
Neighbors said they saw a group of federal agents talking to the woman and her two children, a teenaged girl and a young toddler, at approximately 7 a.m. on Thursday.
Etel Haxhiaj, a Worcester City Councilor, was one of the first residents who stepped up, forming a “human ring” around the mother and her children.
In a statement, he said it was “[his] obligation to stand up for his constituents” as an elected official. He also described the targeting of immigrants in Worcesters as “absolutely unconstitutional.”
Worchester police later arrived at the scene at around 11:13 a.m. after receiving reports of dozens of people surrounding a federal agent. They also received a report that the ICE agents were refusing to show a warrant.
The residents who surrounded the family later chanted at the agents, telling them to stop detaining the mother and her children.
Officials described the group as “unruly” and said several individuals had put their hands on the officers in an attempt to keep them and the family from leaving the scene.
16-Year-Old Arrested On Multiple Charges
As federal agents attempted to leave the scene with the woman, the 16-year-old who was holding the infant stood in front of their vehicle.
She later ran after the vehicle and kicked the passenger door after giving the child to someone else.
The teen girl was later arrested by Worchester police after they detained her mother. She was charged with disturbing the peace, reckless endangerment of a child, resisting arrest, and disorderly conduct.
In a video shared online, the teen girl can be seen screaming and yelling as she is detained by a group of officers.
Police also arrested 38-year-old Ashley Spring after she allegedly threw a liquid substance onto several officers who were trying to arrest the teen girl. She has been charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, interfering with police, and disorderly conduct.
In a statement, Eric Batista, the Worcester City Manager, said the city “will never target lawful immigrants”.
However, he also noted that it’s the municipality’s responsibility to “protect the peace” in the community.
The mayor of the city Joseph Petty has since asked for a “full report” on the incident. He also confirmed that the city was not notified ahead of time by federal agents regarding the detainment.
