Washington, Aug 20
Indian-American Congressman Suhas Subramanyam and five other US lawmakers have demanded an FBI investigation and a Justice Department civil rights review into an encounter in which an immigration agent allegedly pointed a loaded gun at a US citizen in Northern Virginia.
The lawmakers sought an investigation into the Immigration and Customs Enforcement personnel who surrounded Carolina Molina’s car in Falls Church on August 10. They have asked the Justice Department and Department of Homeland Security to respond by August 31.
Molina, a licensed professional counsellor, was leaving a shopping centre in Bailey’s Crossroads, where she conducts mental health assessments for immigration clients, when unmarked vehicles blocked her car from the front and rear, according to a report by Migrant Insider.
Masked federal agents then surrounded the vehicle, and one of them allegedly pointed a firearm at her head.
“Yeah, you record this. You almost ran us over,” the agent told Molina, according to a video she recorded.
“I didn’t almost run you over,” Molina responded.
“You almost ran us over! Stop playing!” the agent said. “I will arrest you! Keep it up!”
“I’m a legal citizen!” Molina told him.
“Keep it up, I don’t care!” the agent replied.
The congressional letter said neither of the available videos showed Molina attempting to run over or otherwise endanger the ICE personnel.
“The claim of a deadly threat is obviously belied by both the video footage and their decision to leave her without detaining or charging her after she told them that she had dashcam footage of the encounter,” the lawmakers said.
The Department of Homeland Security, however, described Molina as an “anti-ICE agitator” who “attempted to harm officers by weaponising her vehicle against them.”
The lawmakers said that description was “particularly concerning” because similar language had previously been used to justify the use of deadly force in other cases, only to be challenged by video evidence.
Subramanyam, whose Virginia congressional district includes Molina’s community, said the lawmakers would pursue accountability even if federal agencies failed to act.
“We’re going to do everything possible,” he said. “We will hold every single ICE officer accountable. Even if that accountability means public pressure and public shaming, that’s what needs to happen if there’s no accountability in ICE.”
He said the agent involved “should come before Congress to explain” his actions and suggested that a subpoena could follow if Democrats regain control of the House of Representatives.
The letter was also signed by Virginia Representatives Don Beyer and James Walkinshaw, House Oversight Committee ranking member Robert Garcia, Homeland Security Committee ranking member Bennie Thompson and Judiciary Committee ranking member Jamie Raskin.
The lawmakers requested the names and titles of the agents, their vehicle-stop training records, any disciplinary history, and all complete and unedited body-camera, cellphone and vehicle footage of the encounter.
They cited ICE directives requiring agents to use force only when no reasonably effective and safe alternative exists and to activate body-worn cameras at the beginning of enforcement activity. Molina’s recording appeared to show at least three personnel wearing body cameras.
Molina said the encounter left her fearing for her life. Asked what advice she would give others after the incident, she said: “Don’t trust anything, and just move carefully.”
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