Deb Haaland faces criticism over ICE arrest description

Deb Haaland, the Democratic nominee for governor of New Mexico, is facing criticism regarding her characterization of a recent U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operation. In a video posted to social media, Haaland stated that ICE agents “terrorized” the community at the La Familia Medical Center by “barreling through the parking lot” to arrest the father of an 11-year-old child, leaving the minor alone in the lot.

However, reports indicate that the individual arrested, Edgar Chacon-Miranda, has a criminal record. According to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) information, Chacon-Miranda’s history includes charges of criminal sexual penetration, child abuse, child abandonment, and battery against a household member. Critics argue that Haaland omitted this criminal context to frame the enforcement action as an unprovoked attack on a family.