DHS Relieves ICE Agent After Viral Video Shows Violent Woman Assault at NYC Immigration Court

A viral video captured a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent violently shoving Monica Elizabeth Moreta-Galarza, an Ecuadorian woman, to the ground at a federal courthouse in Manhattan as she pleaded for her husband, who was being detained by ICE. The agent, seen pulling her hair and repeatedly saying "adios," was initially relieved of duty amid widespread public outrage and condemnation from officials, including New York City Comptroller Brad Lander and Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin, who called the behavior unacceptable. Despite the preliminary relief from duty, sources later reported that the officer was reinstated after an internal review. Moreta-Galarza and her family, who are seeking asylum, described multiple aggressive interactions with the agent prior to the incident. The incident highlights growing tensions and criticisms regarding ICE's enforcement tactics under the current administration's immigration crackdown, with some supporters defending the agent's actions as part of his duty, while others decry the agency's handling as ruthless and inhumane. The woman was taken to the hospital following the altercation, though her condition remains unspecified.