As an SUV turned onto State Street in downtown New Haven on Tuesday morning, city camera footage shows four unmarked vehicles followed.
New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker confirmed the vehicles were driven by federal immigration agents, who arrested 18-year-old Jaime Enrique Diaz-Perez of Guatemala.
Diaz-Perez had been previously charged with aggravated assault, interfering with an officer and fleeing from law enforcement after New Haven police said he hit a pedestrian in August while driving recklessly in East Shore Park.
“Mr. Diaz-Perez is accused of committing very serious crimes that nearly cost someone their life and he must be held accountable for his actions,” Elicker said in a statement. “At the same time, when someone is accused of a crime, they are entitled to due process and their day in court.”
In the three-minute video, the unmarked cars pulled over and U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement agents wearing vests ran over to the back doors of the SUV and tried to open the door.
Eventually, Diaz-Perez appeared to be pulled out of the back seat and taken to one of the unmarked vehicles. A spokesperson for ICE told WTNH-TV Diaz-Perez had been kicking agents. Federal officials told WTNH in a statement that “obstructing law enforcement is a federal crime and assaulting law enforcement is a felony.”
Elicker noted reports of ICE’s “aggressive tactics.”
“The Trump Administration and ICE continue to show complete disregard for our judicial process, and the reports of ICE’s aggressive tactics yesterday are deeply concerning,” Elicker said.
“No one wants violent criminals in our community — and we hold people accountable regardless of their documentation status,” he said. “However, it’s also important that all parties follow the law — and that includes ICE officers and our federal government.”
This is a developing story and will be updated.
