Incident:2025-09-25 New York NY Federal Plaza Assault by Federal Agent
| Date | 2025-09-25 | |
|---|---|---|
| Time | ||
| City | New York | |
| County | New York County | |
| State | New York | |
| Country | United States | |
| Location details | 26 Federal Plaza, Manhattan (immigration court facility) | |
| Facility | 26 Federal Plaza | |
| Agencies involved | U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) — alleged | |
| Operation type | Arrest/detainment and physical use of force | |
| Status | Verified (video footage widely circulated) | |
| People affected | One woman (seeking asylum, identified as Monica Moreta‑Galarza) and her children | |
| Arrests reported | 1 (the husband) | |
| Detentions reported | 1 (the husband) | |
| Deportations | 0 (publicly known) | |
| Injuries | Head injury to the woman reported | |
| Deaths | 0 | |
| Agents at the scene | Victor Mojica | |
| Vehicles at the scene | ||
| Verification | Video evidence; DHS acknowledgment of internal action | |
| Key sources | * “In rare rebuke, federal officials discipline ICE officer for shoving woman in New York” (Associated Press)
* “ICE Agent 'Relieved' of Duties After He's Seen Shoving Woman to Ground in Viral Video” (People) * “Scoop: ICE List Identifies Agent Who Beat Woman at 26 Federal Plaza” (Migrant Insider) |
|
| Additional information | {{{additional_info}}} |
Summary:
On September 25, 2025, at the federal immigration court located at 26 Federal Plaza in Manhattan, asylum-seeker Monica Moreta-Galarza and her young children confronted ICE agents as her husband was being detained. Footage shows the woman pleading with an officer, who subsequently shoved her against a wall and to the floor. The officer was later relieved of his duties during an investigation. :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}
Full description
The incident occurred when Moreta-Galarza’s husband was being taken into custody by agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) as part of a hearing in the immigration court. Video shows the woman, accompanied by her children, pleading with the officer not to separate the family. The officer, later identified in reported sources as Victor Mojica, responded “Adios” and pushed her across a hallway, into a wall, and then onto the floor, where she struck her head. According to reports the incident was recorded by multiple bystanders and quickly circulated online. :contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4}
Moreta-Galarza was transported to hospital for evaluation of head trauma. The husband’s detention status remains unclear in public reporting; no public deportation report has emerged. In the aftermath the DHS described the officer’s conduct as “unacceptable” and “beneath the men and women of ICE” and placed him on administrative status pending investigation. :contentReference[oaicite:5]{index=5}
Agencies and units involved
- ICE – Immigration and Customs Enforcement (agency visibly identified in media)
- DHS – Department of Homeland Security (oversight agency)
- Court-facility staff – at 26 Federal Plaza
Agents
Timeline
- 2025-09-25 — Detainment action begins at 26 Federal Plaza; physical assault on Moreta-Galarza captured on video.
- 2025-09-26 — DHS acknowledges officer has been relieved of duties during investigation. :contentReference[oaicite:8]{index=8}
- November 2025 — Investigative reporting identifies the officer by name; ongoing questions about accountability. :contentReference[oaicite:9]{index=9}
Sources
- AP News: https://apnews.com/article/ice-new-york-city-immigration-trump-108b0d30d937f5aa32b81d8d446ea9e4
- PEOPLE Magazine: https://people.com/ice-agent-relieved-duty-viral-video-shoving-woman-11819708
- FOX5 NY: https://www.fox5ny.com/news/ice-agent-relieved-duties-after-video-shows-him-slamming-woman-ground
- Migrant Insider: https://migrantinsider.com/p/scoop-ice-list-identifies-agent-who
Notes
- While reported as “relieved of duties”, no public confirmation of criminal charges or permanent suspension has been verified.
- The facility 26 Federal Plaza has become a frequent site of immigration enforcement actions and documented confrontations.
- The incident may tie into broader patterns of force at immigration court hearings; monitoring required.