ICE Responds to Claims of Grocery Theft After Controversial Arrest

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) faced allegations of stealing groceries during a controversial arrest on December 24, 2023, in a Walmart parking lot in Yakima, Washington. A video that circulated on social media captured the moment when a group of masked ICE agents surrounded a man, identified as Milciades Osorio-Molina, after he had finished shopping for groceries.

The video shows four masked agents handcuffing Osorio-Molina while others appear to remove items from his shopping cart. Shortly after the video’s release, social media users claimed that ICE agents had stolen the man’s groceries. In response, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) denied these allegations, stating that the agents did not take the groceries for personal use.

In an official statement, Tricia McLaughlin, a spokesperson for DHS, emphasized that the agents were conducting a targeted enforcement operation to apprehend Osorio-Molina, a Venezuelan national who unlawfully entered the United States in 2023 and subsequently violated the terms of his release. “ICE did NOT steal anyone’s groceries,” McLaughlin asserted. She further stated, “These are more smears against our law enforcement. Because of garbage like this, our law enforcement officers are facing a more than 1,150 percent increase in assaults against them.”

During the arrest, it was reported that individuals filming the encounter surrounded the ICE vehicle and shouted obscenities. McLaughlin clarified that the agents assisted in loading the groceries into a vehicle after the arrest, rather than taking them.

The situation escalated when Yeimi Jamie Ortiz, who filmed the incident, confronted the agents and engaged with Osorio-Molina. She asked for his contact information and expressed her concerns, sharing her personal experiences with ICE. Ortiz stated that her husband had been deported to Mexico following an interaction with ICE, highlighting the emotional toll such experiences can have on families. “I just need the wife’s phone number so I can let her know, please,” Ortiz told one of the agents.

The agent responded, “We’ll let him call when he gets there,” to which Ortiz replied, “No, you don’t, you didn’t let my husband call, and he’s in f-ng Mexico right now.” The officer’s response was, “Well, that was a different case.” Ortiz later shared with NBC News that her husband had been detained and deported by ICE while their immigration paperwork was still pending, describing the experience as traumatic and financially devastating.

Despite initial claims, Ortiz confirmed that the agents did not take the groceries but rather placed them in the back of Osorio-Molina’s truck. The incident has sparked a broader conversation about the role of ICE in enforcing immigration laws and the impact of such operations on individuals and families in the community.

As the debate continues, ICE maintains that their actions were in line with their enforcement priorities, while community members express concern over the treatment of individuals during such operations.