ICE agents arrest parent outside Santa Fe clinic, child left behind
Federal immigration agents arrested a parent in the parking lot of a Santa Fe health clinic Wednesday, leaving a child behind, witnesses said. The arrest at La Familia Medical Center on Alto Street has drawn condemnation from state and local leaders.
Witnesses captured video of the agents in the lot and said the man was taken into custody while a child remained. “It was tense, and then heartbreaking just hearing a little girl cry for her parent,” a witness said.
La Familia Medical Center said in a statement that the action was not a raid at the clinic itself and that agents remained in the parking lot. The individual was not a La Familia patient, the clinic said. Agents did not enter the clinic building at any time, and clinic operations continued as normal throughout the day.
“The agents are no longer on site, and clinic operations continued as normal throughout the day,” the clinic statement said. “Our patients, staff, and visitors remained safe, and there was no disruption to the care we provide.”
In a joint statement, the City of Santa Fe and Santa Fe County said neither police nor sheriff’s deputies were involved. A city spokesperson also told KRQE News 13 that the city did not receive a notice about the action ahead of time.
New Mexico Congresswoman Teresa Leger Fernandez, a Democrat, said she is outraged. “In prior administrations, places like schools and hospitals and places of worship were off limits, right? They were sensitive places. And the Trump Administration has thrown all of that; they are terrorizing our communities, including here in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and throughout New Mexico,” she said.
State House Majority Leader Reena Szezepanski, a Democrat from Santa Fe, condemned the action in a statement.
“I am outraged to learn that masked ICE agents followed a parent and child from their home to a neighborhood health clinic, then arrested that parent in the parking lot.
“This Administration’s cruel acts turn places of safety and care into places of fear. No parent should have to worry that getting medical care for their child will put them at risk of detention. I will do all I can to protect immigrant safety in our community.
“As La Familia said in their statement to the community, their clinic remains a safe, welcoming place to receive care. Agents did not enter the clinic, patient care continued throughout the day, and La Familia’s doors will remain open to everyone who needs them.”
