A routine day inside a New Hampshire courthouse took a dramatic turn when federal agents attempted to arrest a Venezuelan migrant, causing an unexpected and painful encounter for an elderly bystander caught in the chaos.
Surveillance Footage Reveals Shocking Takedown in Courthouse Elevator
The incident, which unfolded on February 20, was caught on elevator surveillance footage inside the Nashua Circuit Court.
The video shows 33-year-old Arnuel Marquez Colmenarez standing quietly next to federal agents inside the elevator.
Just as the doors opened, one agent tapped him on the shoulder, signaling him to step out.
Rather than comply, Colmenarez suddenly bolted—triggering a wild chase.
The agents rushed after him, and in their attempt to bring him down, they unintentionally knocked over an elderly man with a cane.
The man collapsed onto the ground and appeared to be in pain as the scene quickly escalated.
Court Officer Details the Loud Commotion
According to court liaison officer Jared Neff, who documented the event in an incident report, the first sign of trouble was a commotion and a loud thud, which he initially thought was someone falling.
Neff rushed to assist and helped restrain Colmenarez, who reportedly continued to resist arrest as multiple officers piled on.
Arrest Linked to Driving Charges and Immigration Orders
At the time of his arrest, Colmenarez had been in court for charges related to driving under the influence, operating a vehicle without a license, and failing to report an accident.
However, it wasn’t just local law enforcement involved—federal immigration officers were there to carry out an order to detain him due to his undocumented status.
Surprisingly, the prosecutor assigned to Colmenarez’s case said they were never informed by ICE ahead of time, adding another layer of confusion to the situation.
From New Hampshire to Texas: Colmenarez Sent to ICE Detention Center
After the incident, Colmenarez was transferred thousands of miles away to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention center in Texas, leaving behind questions about the process and lack of coordination between agencies.
ICE Arrests at Courthouses Surge Under Trump’s Renewed Policy
This incident isn’t isolated. It reflects a broader shift in ICE operations under the Trump administration, which recently repealed an Obama-era policy that discouraged making arrests in sensitive locations like courthouses, schools, hospitals, and places of worship.
Since the reversal, ICE presence at courthouses has ramped up significantly, with agents now allowed to make arrests if they believe an undocumented person is present based on credible evidence.
Legal Concerns Arise as ICE Tactics Face Pushback
The new approach has drawn serious criticism, especially from legal professionals who argue it jeopardizes the fairness of judicial proceedings.
In one high-profile case in Boston, a judge ruled that a defendant’s trial was undermined when an ICE agent detained him mid-proceedings.
The individual, Wilson Martell-Lebron, was in court over accusations of lying on a driver’s license application when ICE officer Brian Sullivan—dressed in plain clothes—swooped in and took him away.
The judge later held Sullivan in contempt, citing a deliberate effort to disrupt the trial and deny the defendant his rights.
Immigration Crackdown Sparks Debate Across the Country
While the Trump administration insists that immigration raids focus on those with criminal records, advocacy groups and officials in sanctuary cities remain skeptical.
The growing number of courthouse arrests has left many questioning how justice and immigration enforcement can coexist without crossing lines.
What Comes Next?
As cases like Colmenarez’s continue to make headlines, debates around the role of ICE in public institutions are heating up.
Critics argue that these aggressive tactics are doing more harm than good—especially when innocent bystanders, like the elderly man in New Hampshire, get caught in the middle.