A dramatic scene unfolded in a New Hampshire courthouse when federal agents apprehended a Venezuelan migrant, causing an innocent elderly bystander to fall in the chaos.
The unexpected incident was caught on an elevator camera at the Nashua Circuit Court, leaving witnesses in shock.
The Arrest That Took a Wild Turn
33-year-old Arnuel Marquez Colmenarez had been in the courthouse for his hearing on charges of drunken driving, driving without a license, and failing to provide information after an accident.
As he stood in an elevator with federal agents, the situation quickly escalated.
When the elevator doors opened, an agent tapped Colmenarez on the shoulder, signaling him to come over.
But instead of cooperating, Colmenarez tried to make a run for it.
What followed was a fast-paced chase that ended with federal agents tackling Colmenarez to the ground.
During the scuffle, an elderly man, who appeared to be using a cane, was knocked over and fell to the floor, visibly in pain.
Onlookers quickly stepped aside as law enforcement officers handcuffed Colmenarez.
The Witness Account
Jared Neff, a court liaison officer, described hearing loud voices and a loud bang—likely the sound of the fall—while he was in the prosecutor’s office.
Neff rushed to the scene to assist officers in restraining Colmenarez, who was actively resisting arrest. He later provided details in an incident report.
A Federal Detention and a Controversial Policy Change
After the arrest, Colmenarez was taken into custody and sent to an ICE detention center in Texas, far from the courthouse in New Hampshire.
This arrest is part of a wider trend of increased immigration enforcement under the Trump administration, which has rolled back previous policies.
For years, ICE had avoided arresting undocumented migrants in sensitive locations like courthouses, hospitals, schools, and places of worship.
However, the Trump administration recently repealed this policy, allowing agents to make arrests in or around courthouses when credible information is available.
This shift in policy has sparked significant controversy, with some arguing that it undermines the fairness of trials.
A notable case in Boston involved an undocumented migrant, Wilson Martell-Lebron, who was detained by ICE agents while on trial for an unrelated matter.
A judge criticized the move, saying it violated the defendant’s right to a fair trial.
Growing Tensions Over Immigration Enforcement
Since Trump took office, deportations have intensified, with the administration maintaining that these actions are focused on criminals.
However, the increasing presence of ICE in courthouses and other public spaces has raised concerns.
Immigration activists and officials in sanctuary cities have called into question the legitimacy of these tactics, which seem to blur the lines between immigration enforcement and the rights of individuals to a fair and unbiased legal process.