At least two ICE-led operations took place in the last few days in South Florida, resulting in the detention of two men – one of them was working at a construction site in Wilton Manors at the time.
Friday just before noon, federal agents wearing DEA and Homeland Security vests showed up at a worksite in Wilton Manors and detained a man who is also a father, husband and homeowner, and who has lived in the United States for 13 years.
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WATCH HEREJeb Shafer with Shafer Construction says he got a call from a subcontractor doing demolition saying there was a problem.
“Of course, my mind immediately thought we hit a water pipe. Didn’t know I was gonna see 15 agents trying to arrest one person on my job site,” Shafer said.
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But things escalated. On cellphone video, another worker is heard saying, “Don’t touch me. Get off, get off, get off. Why you hit me?"
The worker, a citizen, and who doesn’t want to be identified, says he tried to give legal advice to the man the feds wanted. He says agents threatened to hit him and pushed him against a door.
“He tried to get his phone, so another officer, he start, 'Listen, listen, don’t move, because if you start moving, I’m going to punch you, I will push you.’ That’s when he pushed me and then put me to the wall,” said the unidentified worker.
“For this one particular undercover police officer to push my subcontractor against the door and threatened to hit him it was just beyond the pale…it really kind of catches you off guard," Shafer said in disbelief. "You know, we see this on TV, you see this happening, you don’t think it’s going to be in your own backyard. Oh, that’s in New York, that’s Texas, but here in Wilton Manors."
— Wilton Manors Police Department (@wiltonmanorspd) February 10, 2025
The Wilton Manors Police Department says it responded to the scene after ICE requested assistance. But the agency said on X it did not initiate or coordinate the operations with the feds.
They said they were called out when ICE had challenges accessing a person they were seeking. They also said the department’s focus remains on local issues, like patrolling and responding to calls for service.
