A Guatemalan family in Leominster is speaking out after what they describe as a frightening encounter with ICE agents that involved their five-year-old daughter.
The family claims the young girl, who has autism, was used as leverage to pressure her father into surrendering to authorities.
Panic on the Road
Last Tuesday, Edward Hip was driving with his daughter when he called his wife in a state of panic, telling her he felt like someone was chasing him, according to Telemundo Nueva Inglaterra.
Hip reportedly tried to return home quickly as ICE agents swarmed the area around their neighborhood.
A Distressing Standoff
When Hip ran into the back parking lot of their house, federal agents allegedly took his daughter from him.
Video obtained by Telemundo shows the family visibly distressed, struggling to retrieve their child outside their home.
The family claims that ICE agents confronted Hip, who has been living in the U.S. for 22 years, telling him he could have his daughter back if he agreed to leave his home.
Pleas from a Mother
In the video, the mother can be heard desperately begging the agents to return her daughter, emphasizing that her child is special and has autism.
NBC Boston 10 reported that she repeatedly demanded the return of her daughter during the tense standoff.
The footage also captures a federal agent asking Hip, “Is that your daughter? Come here so I can see those IDs.”
Hip responds, “Hey, I can give it through the door,” to which the agent insists, motioning him to come forward.
Alleged Threats and Harassment
The mother told Telemundo that she filed a complaint against the officers for alleged harassment.
She also claimed the agents threatened to enter their home if the door wasn’t opened within 15 minutes.
Leominster police later arrived to intervene and returned the girl safely to her family.
A Return Visit by ICE
However, the nightmare didn’t end there. Just two days later, on Hip’s wife’s birthday, ICE agents returned and arrested the father at their home.
“Officers came out behind my house, arrested him, took him away,” the mother recounted, adding, “We are not criminals.”
Current Situation
The family said their daughter is currently in good condition.
Edward Hip is being held at an ICE detention center in Plymouth.
According to NBC, the couple has an active asylum claim and also has two children born in the United States.
The Daily Mail reached out to ICE for comment on the incident.