Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents have sparked outrage after detaining a 16-year-old high school intern outside a Rhode Island courthouse in a case of mistaken identity. The teen, a US citizen, was seized while being driven to school by a judge following an internship at the state's Superior Court.
Footage of the incident shows at least six agents surrounding the judge's car and escorting the teenager away as protesters shouted. The judge explained the teen was a court intern, but agents only released the student after verifying his identity across the street, according to the Rhode Island Judiciary.
Governor Dan McKee called the detention 'indefensible,' blaming the Trump administration's 'callous and chaotic policies.' Rhode Island Supreme Court Chief Justice Paul A. Suttell said the incident underscores concerns about ICE's operations, while Senator Corey Booker denounced the agency for intimidating innocent citizens.
A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson claimed agents were searching for a 'child predator' and briefly questioned someone who resembled the target, but that the individual was never taken into custody. Critics argue ICE's tactics, including stalking courthouses and schools, have become dangerously commonplace.
