ICE video of Long Island man hitting brick wall during arrest prompts defense from agency, calls for investigation

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is disputing the account of a handcuffed Honduran immigrant whose head hit a brick wall in Hempstead during his arrest last month, saying the man "fell" into the wall after a struggle with two immigration agents.

But U.S. Rep. Laura Gillen (D-Rockville Centre) called for an investigation into the incident and for the firing or impeachment of U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, who oversees ICE. Advocates and other politicians dismissed ICE's version of the Jan. 5 arrest involving Isai Santos Caceras, 35.

The incident was captured on video by a bystander and posted on the website of Islip Forward, a nonprofit organization that tracks ICE actions on Long Island. The video shows Caceras’ head violently hitting the wall as his hands are handcuffed behind his back and he is held by the agents. He then collapses to the ground and appears motionless.

In a statement Wednesday, ICE said "Caceres tried to evade arrest and fled on foot. As officers caught up with him, he became physically combative, refused lawful commands, and assaulted law enforcement."

"Even after officers placed him in restraints, Caceres continued to resist and tried to kick officers in the legs," ICE continued. "During the struggle, the illegal alien fell into the side of the building."

Ahmad Perez, a founder of Islip Forward, rejected ICE’s explanation, saying Caceras did not "fall into the side of a building."

"This is not law enforcement — it is abuse, followed by a news release designed to make it sound routine," Perez said.

Caceras previously told Newsday in a telephone interview from Adams County Correctional Facility in Natchez, Mississippi, where he was sent eventually by ICE, that one of the agents pushed him into the wall.

The incident comes amid national scrutiny over ICE tactics in carrying out President Donald Trump’s mass deportation campaign. The fatal shooting by federal agents of two U.S. citizens in Minneapolis last month, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, provoked shock, outrage and protests nationwide. Democrats have held up funding for the Department of Homeland Security as they call for reforms of ICE.

Trump says the campaign is targeting violent and dangerous criminals, though studies show most immigrants arrested have no criminal record. 

ICE did not say why Caceras was arrested. He has no criminal record, according to the Nassau County District Attorney’s Office. Though he entered the country illegally, he now has temporary legal status, said his attorney, Edward Gunning, of Garden City.

Videos of the Minneapolis killings undermined the federal government's contention that Good and Pretti were "domestic terrorists" who posed a lethal threat to agents. 

In a statement, Gillen said, "Secretary Noem’s mismanagement at DHS has stoked chaos in our communities. She must be fired or impeached immediately to bring order to the agency and ensure a full investigation into this incident takes place."

Nassau County Leg. Vivian Russell (D-Westbury) said in a statement: "A handcuffed man’s head being driven into a brick wall, followed by bystanders being left to manage the medical response, is unacceptable. That is not professionalism, it reflects a failure in training, supervision, and accountability."

Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman, who has backed Trump’s deportation campaign, did not respond to a request for comment.

Carceras told Newsday the agents on Jan. 5 were "very aggressive."

"They got upset because I ran," he said. Then, handcuffed and held by the agents, "one of them pushed me and I went into the wall."

"When I hit my head, I couldn’t see anybody," he said. "It was like I lost my vision for the moment. It was like everything was dark."

He said he got medical attention days later while in detention.

In the video, one of the agents is heard saying, "You try to trip me again?" as Caceras’ bent-over body moves headfirst toward the brick wall.

As he collapses, a bystander is heard on the video saying, "I can’t believe it man. He’s not an animal. Come on guys."

In a second video of the incident, as the agents pick up Carceras, who appears conscious though his legs are limp, the other agent says, "All right, then call the police so they can send somebody, get an ambulance. You call the police?"

"No, you call them," the bystander said. "You hurt him. I can’t believe it, man. Come on."

Perez, of Islip Forward, said Caceras "was already in handcuffs when ICE agents slammed him into the wall, using his body — and his head — like a battering ram. That was not an accident. It was excessive force.

"After injuring him while already detained, agents failed to provide meaningful medical care after Mr. Caceres went unresponsive."