The media freaked out on Saturday after ICE arrested a man in southern California while taking his pregnant wife to the hospital, only for the agency to later announce he is wanted for murder in Mexico.
Joel Arrona Lara, 36, was detained at a gas station in San Bernardino, California, while he and his wife were on their way to the hospital for her cesarean section. He reportedly had been living in the U.S. illegally for 12 years. (RELATED: Illegal Immigrant Arrested While Driving Wife To Hospital Is Wanted For Murder In Mexico)
Footage from the gas station shows two ICE agents approaching Lara’s vehicle. The two agents then walked him to their squad car in handcuffs.
“Mr. Arrona-Lara was brought to ICE’s attention due to an outstanding warrant for his arrest in Mexico on homicide charges,” ICE spokeswoman Lori Haley told The Daily Caller News Foundation.
A GoFundMe page was set up for the family, and it has surpassed its goal with over $6,000 raised thus far.
As news spread of Lara’s arrest, many expressed their dismay at ICE’s supposed cruelty. The attacks on ICE began before people knew why the immigration agency had taken him into custody.
The arrest also fueled the calls for ICE to be abolished — a movement that has gained significant traction over the last several of months.
ICE detained a man while he was driving his pregnant wife to the hospital. He was taken when they stopped for gas.
“My husband needs to be here,” Maria del Carmen Venegas said. “He had to wait for his son for so long, and someone just took him away.”https://t.co/rpD8WKwaJZ
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) August 18, 2018
ICE arrested a California man on Wednesday when he stopped for gas while driving his wife to the hospital for her C-section. She ended up driving herself the rest of the way, giving birth alone. https://t.co/T7MHsWvGVS
— Daniel Dale (@ddale8) August 18, 2018
There’s heartless and then there’s whatever the hell this is. https://t.co/qWgPoJ2ABe
— Rep. Joe Kennedy III (@RepJoeKennedy) August 18, 2018
ICE defended its officers’ decision to detain a man whose wife was about to give birth, referencing Trump’s “zero tolerance” policy. https://t.co/JiUy6srTSy
— HuffPost (@HuffPost) August 18, 2018
OMFG. ICE detained a husband as he was driving his wife for a C-section. She had to drive herself to hospital. The cruelty and inhumanity of this regime! https://t.co/lkZljMVq8I
— Amy Siskind (@Amy_Siskind) August 18, 2018
#ICE arrests a man driving his pregnant wife to the hospital to deliver their first son—leaving mom to drive herself & deliver the baby ALONE.
No doubt, rule-loving legalistas will say this “illegal” couple got what they deserved.
STONE COLD HEARTLESS https://t.co/5bUljMYl5s
— Rev. Cornell Wm. Brooks, Esq. (@CornellWBrooks) August 18, 2018
This is so so wrong. https://t.co/l1DBUDpMbN
— Mary Murray (@MaryMurrayNBC) August 18, 2018
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