Arrests of undocumented individuals in Washington, D.C. this week have sparked significant outrage online, but the situation shifted once the allegations against the suspect came to light.
A video captured by a reporter shows immigration agents apprehending a man outside a vehicle. As he attempts to escape, an agent tackles him to the ground, and the man starts to cry.
“This man should scream next to our supposed monument to our freedom.”
The man, in tears, cries out in Spanish, “I’m not a criminal. I work here. I want to be with my family,” as shared by WRC-TV reporter Amy Cho. The video has since garnered 7.3 million views.
Reactions online have been strong and emotional.
“This doesn’t make D.C. safer. It just discourages people from coming here,” noted Jessica Tarlov, a liberal co-host on Fox News’ “The Five.”
However, Tarlov later took down her post after learning about the serious accusations leveled against the suspect.
“I didn’t know the details. A DHS memo about the man was released hours after the video was posted,” she clarified. “We don’t protect those people! I hope they focus on these types and not on hardworking individuals who aren’t committing crimes! I’m deleting my original tweet.”
The suspect, identified as David Perez Theofani, reportedly has a record of illegally crossing the U.S. border three times. He faces charges of inappropriate conduct involving a child under 13 and aggravated sexual assault.
Others echoed similar horror in response to the video, potentially unaware of the charges against the suspect.
- “Emotional wounds in the fabric of our country will harm hardworking American families who, by any reasonable means, could support a work permit for everyone’s benefit,” stated journalist Pablo de la Rosa.
- “The cry next to our so-called monument to freedom should disturb us all,” remarked one user.
- “Cruelty is paramount,” added the social media account “Republicans Against Trump.”
- “This is an unpleasant video of families being torn apart, but prices are still rising as businesses hire less. Perhaps Trump’s policies aren’t really effective,” suggested researcher Derek Martin.
Josh Gerstein from Politico commented with “#NewNormal” before following up on the allegations later.
Furthermore, ICE expressed dissatisfaction with prosecutors dropping the case against Perez Theofani. In contrast, Steve Descano, a federal attorney for Fairfax County, Virginia, accused ICE of misrepresenting the prosecutor’s office’s actions.
In an interview with WRC-TV, Descano explained that the victim and the victim’s mother had ceased communication with police, forcing prosecutors to drop the case, as they were the only witnesses. He also mentioned that if they decide to reach out again, prosecution is still an option.
