Body camera footage from a deputy in Key Largo captured the moments when federal agents briefly detained an American citizen during an immigration enforcement operation.
The incident happened on Dec. 3, near mile marker 103
In the body camera footage shared by the Miami Herald, a Monroe County Sheriff’s Office deputy arrived at the scene and spoke with U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents, who told him that the car they pulled over was registered to an undocumented immigrant, and that the driver said she’s a U.S. citizen but did not provide ID.
“So the registered owner on the car is illegal,” an agent said. “I don’t know who she is. She’s claiming she’s a U.S. citizen, but she’s not going to identify herself.
When the deputy asked what they’re going to do, an agent said, “See if we can get her to ID, if not, we’re going to drag her out of the car.”
The deputy then approached the driver and told her to comply with the agent’s commands.
“I just want you to cooperate with these gentlemen, OK,” the deputy said. “If they’re telling you to step out, to talk to them or whatever, do so. It’s going to get to the point, it’s going to get to something that you don’t want it to get there.”
The woman told the deputy she didn’t do anything wrong and that she was on her way to work and is a behavioral therapist for children.
“They don’t have a reason to stop me,” she said. “They want to do an inspection. They have already stopped me. This is not the first time. I’m a U.S. citizen, I don’t want to have to go through this.”
The deputy then walked away from the driver, and federal agents told her to unlock her door and get out of the car.
“If you don’t go out of the vehicle, I’m going to break the window. I’m going to give you one last chance,” an agent said.
At one point, the woman was heard screaming “Please don’t do this to me,” and “I’m a U.S. citizen” as agents detained her.
The incident was previously recorded by Miami Herald reporter David Goodhue.
“Saw the agents talking with her for a while, didn’t really think much of it at the time, then I heard yelling and screaming,” Goodhue said.
The veteran reporter had received a tip that CBP was conducting a traffic stop enforcement operation, went to see what was happening, and ended up recording a now-viral video documenting the incident.
Agents released her about 10 minutes later after they checked her driver’s license and confirmed she was an American citizen.
NBC6 has reached out to CPB, but has not heard back.
The agency told the Herald that agents pulled her over because she was “driving her illegal alien boyfriend’s car and she refused to comply with repeated lawfully given orders by law enforcement to identify herself.”
Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, was not involved in the Key Largo incident, but ICE and CBP operate under the same Department of Homeland Security umbrella.
Data analyzed by NBC6 shows 27 ICE apprehensions in September along US 1 in the Keys from Key Largo to Card Sound Road. Since July, another 64 people were taken into custody by ICE along US 1 south of Key Largo. Overall, the number of apprehensions has climbed dramatically, starting in February of this year in South Florida.
The traffic stops are legal. By law, as long as CBP agents are within 100 miles of the United States border, they can conduct checkpoints without using warrants. Of course, the Florida Keys are within that standard as international waters begin 12 miles offshore.
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