A volunteer legal observer, Barbara Stone, said she was left bruised after being detained by ICE agents in the halls of San Diego’s federal immigration court Wednesday. United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) accused Stone of pushing an agent.
Video taken by a group calling themselves Detention Resistance shows agents detaining a man in the hallway of the federal courthouse. In that video, you can hear an exchange between Stone and federal agents.
A individual wearing a jacket with the worlds "POLICE ICE" and a stitched on badge says into another legal observer's camera, "She pushed me."
Stone volunteers as a legal observer in San Diego’s immigration court. The 71-year-old grandmother of two says her job is to observe document and film, not to interfere.
“It is necessary that we provide people who can legally observe when ICE is detaining asylum seekers in the courthouse,” Stone said.
In a statement, Stone’s lawyer, Emily Howe, said, “We believe Barbara was lawfully present. As a well-respected community member, she serves as a legal observer and neutral volunteer who monitors and documents public interactions with government actors; she observes and records incidents involving arbitrary arrests, use of force, and actions that impinge on our constitutional rights and the basic rule of law.”
After the initial exchange, Stone began to walk out of the courthouse. Agents could be seen on camera discussing whether or not to charge her.
“Do you want to file charges? Which officer does?" someone can be heard asking. "Sure, yea. At this point, we’ll get another man," another replies.
ICE agents followed Stone down the hall and handcuffed her.
“I had my phone up in the air and they started chasing me and saying they were going to arrest me,” Stone said.
Stone said she was put into a small room.
“I was there for more than eight hours. I asked right away if I could see an attorney,” she said.
According to Stone, her phone and purse were seized. However, after her release, only her purse was returned.
“I asked him (the ICE agent) why he needed my phone, and he compared it to a drug bust where they keep a drug dealer's phone because I had used it in the crime. They referred to me as the suspect,” Stone said
Now at home, Stone has bruising on her wrists and the back of her arm. She says it’s from the handcuffs and where an agent grabbed her when she was detained. Stone says she won’t let her detention stop her volunteer work.
“I’m just part of a much bigger structure and organization, and whatever I can do, I want to do,” Stone said.
Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin alleges Stone "assaulted an ICE officer as they were conducting immigration enforcement."
“Anyone who assaults or actively obstructs law enforcement in the performance of their sworn duties will face consequences which could include arrest," McLaughlin said in an emailed statement to our media partner KGTV. "Our officers are facing a 700% increase in assaults against them as they put their lives on the line to arrest murderers, rapists, and gang members.”
According to data from ICE, 83% of people detained by the agency are categorized as "No ICE Threat Level," meaning they have no criminal convictions.
