Incident Caught on Video
HOUSTON – Immigrant rights group FIEL Houston, is calling for accountability after a violent encounter between Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers and a local family was caught on video.
On Thursday, Oct. 23, Arnulfo Bazan was driving his 16-year-old son, Arnoldo, to school when their car was confronted by unmarked vehicles carrying masked individuals. According to FIEL Houston, Bazan fled in fear, but the vehicles allegedly chased and rammed his car multiple times before cornering him near a convenience store.
Confrontation Turns Violent
Once stopped, FIEL reports that the masked individuals—later identified as ICE agents—chased and physically assaulted Bazan and his son. The father was allegedly choked during the altercation before being detained.
“It devastated me how they were treated, like they were not people,” said the oldest sister Maria Bazan.
Community Outrage and Response
FIEL Executive Director Cesar Espinosa condemned the agents’ actions, stating that “ICE agents are not above the law.” He expressed growing concern over the agency’s increased presence in Houston.
“As ICE presence increases in our city, we fear that more incidents like this can unfold,” Espinosa said. “How are we as community members supposed to know who is who if ICE doesn’t identify themselves?”
Next Steps and Investigation
Bazan is currently being held at the Montgomery Processing Center. Espinosa said FIEL plans to follow up on the case in the coming days.
“All these hits they gave me, they’re getting worse every day, and they’re really affecting me a lot.”
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