A recent attempted ICE detention in Key Largo, Florida, has gone viral—not only because of the circumstances surrounding the arrest, but also because agents reportedly continued to detain a woman believed to be a nurse even after it was clarified that she is a U.S. citizen. Although ICE eventually released her, the incident has since sparked widespread outrage online.
The arrest took place around 9:15 a.m. Wednesday on U.S. 1 near the Pink Plaza in Key Largo, Florida. What began as a routine morning drive became a frightening ordeal for a woman wearing medical scrubs after federal immigration agents forcibly removed her from her car in the Florida Keys. Below is a repost of the video, which was originally uploaded by the Miami Herald:
In the footage, agents from ICE, CBP, and the U.S. Border Patrol surround the woman’s white Toyota Corolla, pull her from the vehicle, and attempt to handcuff her as she screams for help. “I’m a U.S. citizen, please help me!” she shouts while being forced to the ground. “This is unfair. Why are you doing this to me?” Despite her repeated protests, federal agents drag her away and detain her in a patrol vehicle. After confirming her citizenship, however, the agents released her.
CBP spokesman Alan Regalado said the woman refused to roll down her window or provide her driver’s license when she was first stopped. After removing her from the car, agents searched the vehicle, found her license, ran it, and confirmed that she was indeed a U.S. citizen. Regalado did not specify why agents targeted her vehicle during the operation, saying only, “We can’t go into specifics about what we’re going to look for,” according to CBP. Transcript courtesy of the Miami Herald.
After being released, the woman drove away before media members or witnesses could identify her, likely shaken by the incident and concerned about remaining near the federal agents involved. The enforcement activity was part of an ongoing immigration crackdown in the Upper Keys, where authorities detained 12 people amid intensified immigration sweeps linked to the Trump administration’s enforcement efforts.
California Redditors Criticize the Federal Agents
Although she was ultimately released, the incident involving the U.S. nurse has renewed concerns about aggressive enforcement tactics and the ease with which U.S. citizens can be caught up in immigration operations.
“It pisses me off to see them doing that. It pisses me off even more to see citizens walking and driving by not doing a damn thing.”
“What happened to this country?”
“Daylight kidnappings and nobody bats an eye. Time to organize.”
Many people agree they can not trust any agents for their safety, regardless of whether they are citizens or not.
