Unfolding Drama During ICE Arrest
Officials have reported that a man pretended to have a seizure during a raid, seemingly to avoid arrest related to his undocumented wife.
Carlos Zapata Rivera, an undocumented immigrant from Ecuador, declined medical assistance after he allegedly suffered a seizure, despite showing “absolutely zero” medical signs of distress, according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). This incident gained traction on social media after a video showed him convulsing in his car while Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents attempted to detain his wife in Massachusetts.
DHS articulated its concern in a public statement, questioning the act of pretending to have a seizure to escape legal consequences. “Emergency medical personnel found no legitimate medical symptoms,” they noted, highlighting that ICE had even called 911, but Rivera refused any medical help.
The situation escalated when ICE agents approached Rivera’s wife, Juliana Milena Ojeda-Montoya, with an active arrest warrant. Rivera, who had a history of violent behavior—including a prior stabbing incident—was also caught in this tense moment.
During the vehicle stop, which involved Ojeda-Montoya, Rivera, and their child, she reportedly resisted handing the child over to Rivera, leading to a chaotic encounter with ICE agents where Rivera displayed signs of a seizure.
Initially, both parents suggested they preferred the child be placed in state custody rather than with Rivera. However, realizing the gravity of the situation—especially with the potential for his own arrest—Rivera suddenly decided to comply and took the child with him.
Tricia McLaughlin, a homeland security official, criticized media portrayals of the incident, asserting that the actual narrative involved ICE targeting a known criminal. She reiterated that medical staff found no emergency, stating that Rivera was filmed standing, countering claims of a medical crisis that required intervention.
Furthermore, the DHS reported that anti-ICE protesters surrounded the scene, shouting threats and offensive remarks during the vehicle stop. Rivera and Ojeda-Montoya had entered the U.S. illegally in February 2023 and were initially released under the current administration. Ojeda-Montoya is now in ICE custody and awaiting deportation proceedings.
