A legal US resident with a green card has launched a major lawsuit against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) following what court documents describe as a violent and unlawful detention outside a Massachusetts courthouse. Hilda Ramirez Sanan and her two American-born children were hospitalised after the incident, which her legal team alleges involved excessive force and profound trauma.
The Courthouse Confrontation: Shattered Windows and Forceful Arrests
The legal complaint states that on 26 September, Ramirez Sanan accompanied her brother-in-law to a hearing at a courthouse in Chelsea, Massachusetts. Upon arrival, the family's vehicle was suddenly surrounded and blocked by four unmarked ICE vehicles.
According to the filing, officers failed to identify themselves or issue any commands. Instead, they allegedly used a sharp tool to shatter the front and back windows on the driver's side, showering Ramirez Sanan and her brother-in-law with glass shards. The lawsuit then details a brutal arrest, claiming officers violently twisted her arms to apply handcuffs, kicked her, and smashed her face-first into the ground—all while her children watched.
Children Targeted: Alleged Threats to a Teenager with Autism
The alleged misconduct extended directly to Ramirez Sanan's children, both of whom are US citizens. Lawyers state that an ICE officer reached into the damaged car to unbuckle her 13-year-old son, who is on the autism spectrum, and forcibly pulled him from his seat.
While the child was crying and shaking, officers are accused of questioning him about his legal status and age. Shockingly, the lawsuit claims an officer threatened to arrest the teenager if he did not answer or provide proof of status, despite his evident distress and disability.
Aftermath and Legal Battle for Justice
The detention only ended when local police intervened and asked ICE agents to check Ramirez Sanan's identification, the suit alleges. She and her children were subsequently taken by ambulance to an emergency room. Ramirez Sanan reportedly suffered a concussion, severe bruising, and radial nerve palsy from the handcuffing.
Now, represented by the advocacy group Lawyers for Civil Rights, she is seeking $1m in damages. "My family is broken and will never be the same," Ramirez Sanan said. "I am still in daily pain from my injuries. As a mother, the hardest part is seeing how scared and traumatized my children are."
Senior attorney Jillian Lenson condemned the actions, stating, "The ICE officers did not even identify themselves, let alone provide an explanation or warrant, before violently assaulting the family. The behavior was illegal, shameless, and inhumane." ICE has not publicly commented on the pending litigation.
