New Yorker Claims Racial Profiling After Detainment by ICE Agents

Elzon Lemus, a 23-year-old Hispanic man from Brentwood, New York, shared his experience of being stopped and detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, claiming he was treated as a criminal simply for his ethnicity. During a press conference, Lemus recounted an incident where he was riding as a passenger in a car on his way to work when the vehicle was stopped by ICE in Westbury. The agents reportedly claimed he resembled someone they were searching for, which he strongly disputed by inquiring about the details of their search.

The situation escalated as Lemus found himself surrounded by ICE and Homeland Security Investigations vehicles, with agents demanding to see his identification. An exchange captured on video revealed the pressure put on him by the agents, who warned that failure to provide ID could lead to further complications. Despite his request for the agents' identification, they refused to disclose their names or badge numbers, making Lemus increasingly uneasy about the legitimacy of the agents' conduct.

Ultimately, Lemus was placed in handcuffs for declining to show his ID, expressing his fear and confusion since he hadn't committed any crimes, nor was he driving the vehicle. He noted the agents' attire indicated they were not local law enforcement, prompting his hesitation. Left in handcuffs for an extended period, they confiscated his phone to prevent him from recording the encounter, and eventually found his ID in his own pockets.

Following the incident, Lemus felt that his rights were disregarded. His attorney, Fred Brewington, emphasized that the actions of the ICE agents were a violation of federal civil rights and criticized the notion of randomly stopping individuals based solely on appearance. Local officials, including New York State Assemblyman Philip Ramo, labeled the detainment as racial profiling and called for an investigation into the incident. Lemus expressed ongoing fear about being targeted in future encounters with federal agents due to his ethnicity, stating he felt deprived of his rights during the encounter.