A quiet morning on Eureka Street in Worcester, Massachusetts, turned into a heartbreaking and chaotic scene when federal immigration agents attempted to detain a mother in front of her two children.
Around 11:15 a.m., Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers intercepted the woman, who was accompanied by her 16-year-old daughter and her newborn baby. Witnesses say the family was walking together when ICE agents moved in. The father had already been taken into custody a day earlier.
The incident, caught on camera by neighbors, showed the mother clutching her infant child in distress as the agents attempted to pull her away. In the background, voices could be heard shouting in protest. Within moments, more than two dozen neighbors gathered, forming a crowd around the officers.
The video shows a tense standoff, with community members demanding to see identification and a legal warrant for the arrest. When challenged, one ICE agent allegedly said, “We don’t have to show you anything.” That response only fueled the crowd’s anger and resistance.
As the agents continued with the arrest, local police officers from the Worcester Police Department were called in for backup. The officers arrived to find a scene that had escalated emotionally and physically. According to a police statement, some residents had begun to place their hands on federal officers in an effort to stop the detainment.
Tensions reached a boiling point when the 16-year-old daughter of the woman being detained tried to stop the ICE vehicle from leaving with her mother inside.
A Teen’s Brave Resistance Turns Violent
The teen, visibly distraught, handed her newborn sibling to a nearby neighbor before stepping in front of the ICE vehicle. Her brave act was a final attempt to prevent her mother from being taken away. The girl reportedly kicked the vehicle in desperation. What followed has shocked the Worcester community and viewers across the country: several officers attempted to restrain the teenager, who tried to flee but was eventually caught and tackled to the ground.
Eyewitnesses say the girl screamed in terror as four officers pinned her to the pavement. NBC Boston released separate footage from the incident, which showed the girl’s face being forcibly pressed into the ground.
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Her cries echoed through the street, a sound that left residents shaken. The police later charged the teen with four offenses, including child endangerment. According to authorities, she endangered her sibling by initially holding the baby while attempting to interfere with federal law enforcement.
Those who voted for Donald Trump are responsible for this. I oppose fascism and unconstitutional violations of due process. As a Marine, I swore two oaths to the Constitution. This tyranny in our country is painful to watch. 🇺🇸
— Leona 🏳️🌈 (@LeonaNawoichik) May 9, 2025
In Worcester, Massachusetts, ICE detained a mother,… pic.twitter.com/Z0doS4bxHR
The handling of the teenager has sparked outrage. Many have condemned the physical force used against a minor—especially one acting out of fear and loyalty to her family. Several neighbors, as well as city leaders, have spoken out, expressing their horror at seeing such violence directed at a child.
The girl’s arrest has come to symbolize the devastating human cost of immigration enforcement actions, especially in a politically divided environment where emotions often outweigh legal procedure.
Community Outcry and Political Ramifications
The fallout from the incident has been swift and impassioned. Worcester residents, already shaken by increased ICE activity in the region, were vocal in their outrage. City Councilor Etel Haxhiaj, who was among those present, said she and others attempted to form a “human ring” around the woman and her children in a desperate act of protection.
“As an elected official, it is my obligation to stand up for my constituents,” she later stated. “The way immigrants in Worcester and across the Commonwealth are being targeted and terrorized by this federal administration for deportation is absolutely unconstitutional.”
A crowd of about 25 people in Massachusetts tried to stop ICE agents from detaining a woman, chanting "don't take the mother." pic.twitter.com/5oy79RCN8R
— Z Habash (@Zscorpio) May 9, 2025
Others in the neighborhood expressed sorrow, disbelief, and anger. One neighbor asked, “What kind of person takes a mother away from her family?” Another resident said, “Everyone is fed up! It’s disgusting seeing ICE across the country tearing families apart.” The incident occurred just days before Mother’s Day, making the family’s separation even more heart-wrenching for many observers.
Worcester Mayor Joseph Petty released a statement calling the event “devastating.” He emphasized his pride in leading a welcoming city and shared that the fear of family separation was a deeply painful reality for many in his community. “The fear of ICE tearing a family apart is the worst nightmare of so many in our city,” he said.
City Manager Eric Batista echoed those sentiments, describing the events as “disturbing” and “harrowing.” Batista also clarified that Worcester police were present to maintain public order and were not directly assisting ICE with the detainment.
Protests, Arrests, and the National Spotlight
The confrontation did not end with the mother and daughter. The chaos continued as several residents attempted to intervene physically. Among those arrested during the confrontation was Ashley Spring, a Worcester School Committee candidate, who allegedly threw an “unknown liquid” at the officers. Spring now faces charges including assault and battery on a police officer.
The broader implications of the incident are still unfolding. The video footage has sparked national discussion about the use of force, the rights of undocumented immigrants, and the increasingly aggressive tactics employed by ICE in the Greater Boston area.
Just weeks before the incident, ICE’s acting Director Todd Lyons had confirmed that the agency was preparing for a second surge in arrests as part of former President Donald Trump’s broader immigration enforcement strategy. This surge has included highly visible and deeply controversial operations such as the one in Worcester.
Legal advocacy groups have also weighed in. The local immigration justice network LUCE, which had been monitoring ICE activity, confirmed that the arrests were part of this broader initiative. Immigration advocates argue that these operations are tearing communities apart and undermining trust in law enforcement. The scene in Worcester, they say, is not an isolated event but a reflection of a national crisis.
A City in Pain and a Family Torn Apart
As the dust settles from Thursday’s events, many in Worcester are left grappling with the emotional aftermath. A newborn baby now sits in the arms of a neighbor. A teenager faces criminal charges after being wrestled to the ground by four police officers. A mother and father are both in ICE custody, their futures uncertain. And a neighborhood that tried to intervene is left with more questions than answers.
The physical force used against the 16-year-old girl, in particular, has become a flashpoint in debates about policing, immigration policy, and the rights of minors. The sight of a child’s face pressed into the pavement by four adult officers has deeply disturbed many—raising concerns not only about ICE’s role but also about the actions of local police.
The city of Worcester, long known for its diverse and vibrant immigrant communities, is now a symbol of the painful reality so many families face under current immigration policies. The events on Eureka Street may fade from the headlines, but for those who witnessed it and those directly impacted, the trauma will remain.
Calls for transparency, accountability, and reform are growing louder. Elected officials and community leaders are demanding to know why they were not informed of the operation beforehand. Many are now pushing for local policies that would require notification or impose limits on cooperation with ICE. The goal, they say, is to prevent tragedies like this from happening again.
As the community comes together in the aftermath, the story of one mother, one teenage daughter, and a small baby serves as a grim reminder of the human toll behind immigration enforcement. Their story is no longer just about legal status—it’s about dignity, family, and the unrelenting fight for justice in the face of fear.