A Columbia Heights resident reported that a Hmong man with a wife and three children was taken from his home by Immigration and Customs Enforcement near the intersection of Arthur Street NE and 39th Avenue NE on Sunday, Jan. 18.
Jerrod Linderman, who lives across the street from the family, said he heard whistling and honking before going to his front door.
“Within a few seconds, a whole bunch of ICE vehicles pulled up in front of my neighbors’ house,” Linderman said. “Ten agents jumped up and walked to his door and took a battering ram. They weren’t shouting anything, they just knocked down his door and went in.”
Linderman said there were about 10 agents at first, before more arrived. He estimated between 20 and 30 agents later blocked the street to the north and south, while several remained positioned in the roadway.
Linderman said agents forced their way into the home. The wife told him they did not present any paperwork and took the man before leaving.
Video taken by Linderman during the incident matches the events he described.
ABC Newspapers has reached out to ICE’s Midwest media office by email and phone Monday afternoon, Jan. 19, and is awaiting a response. The newspaper has also submitted a Freedom of Information Act request for documentation related to the incident.
Linderman provided an eight-minute video of the incident to ABC Newspapers.
More than a dozen residents filming with their phones appear near the end of the video. Nine SUV-style vehicles believed to belong to federal law enforcement agents are visible.
At the start of the video, Linderman can be heard swearing while agents across the street use what appears to be a battering ram on the door of a house. In the roadway, a white pickup truck and a dark van are parked.
Several agents enter the house as Linderman continues shouting. Honking and whistles are audible in the background.
At the 1:51 mark, a gray pickup truck pulls up in front of the camera as Linderman points out additional parked vehicles to the right.
Agents later exit the house carrying assault rifles and escort a man wearing a T-shirt and sweatpants who appears to be handcuffed. One agent walks toward the pickup truck while recording on what appears to be a phone.
Several agents enter a black van behind the truck. Linderman then pans his camera down the right side of the street, showing a large concentration of vehicles.
People can be heard yelling at the agents.
Linderman later moves his vehicle and films additional agents walking past. Two enter a blue car parked on the opposite side of the street, while others enter a van to Linderman’s left.
The white pickup truck and black van then maneuver to leave as chanting can be heard. One resident is visible filming and yelling as the vehicles exit.
The pickup truck is followed by three vans — two dark and one gray — and a blue car being filmed by another man with a video camera. Linderman zooms in as the car leaves.
At the end of the video, a woman can be heard telling people to stay in line and allow the agents to leave.
This is a developing story and is awaiting further updates.