Fact Check: "Elzon Lemus reported that after ICE agents confirmed his citizenship, they let him go without offering any explanation or apology."
What We Know
Elzon Lemus, a 23-year-old U.S. citizen, was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents while driving to work in Westbury, New York. During the incident, which was recorded on Lemus' phone, ICE agents demanded to see his identification based on a vague assertion that he "looked like someone [they] were looking for" (NBC New York). Lemus was handcuffed and detained for approximately 25 minutes while the agents searched for his ID. Once they confirmed his citizenship, they released him without any explanation or apology (Independent).
Lemus expressed that the experience was traumatic, stating, "It felt like I lost all rights when they pulled me over. I felt like I had nothing anymore" (Independent). His attorney, Fred Brewington, criticized the actions of the ICE agents as potentially violating constitutional protections against unreasonable searches and seizures (NBC New York).
Analysis
The claim that Elzon Lemus was released by ICE agents after they confirmed his citizenship, without offering any explanation or apology, is supported by multiple credible sources. The incident was widely reported, including detailed accounts from NBC New York and The Independent, both of which confirm that Lemus was detained, handcuffed, and released without any further communication from the agents.
The sources are reliable, as they are established news organizations that adhere to journalistic standards. The accounts from Lemus and his attorney, who are directly involved in the incident, provide firsthand perspectives that enhance the credibility of the claims. Additionally, the attorney's comments regarding potential violations of Lemus' civil rights further substantiate the seriousness of the situation and the lack of accountability from the ICE agents.
Conclusion
The claim that Elzon Lemus reported being released by ICE agents after they confirmed his citizenship, without any explanation or apology, is True. The evidence from multiple credible sources consistently supports this assertion, detailing the events of the incident and the subsequent lack of accountability from the agents involved.
Sources
- US citizen detained by ICE speaks out, calls agents 'criminals'
- Long Island man detained by ICE despite US citizenship
- US citizen blasts ICE after being detained as he drove to work: ‘They’re the criminals’
- US citizen blasts ICE after being detained as he drove to work
- ICE detains US citizen in NY: 'It was heartbreaking'
- US citizen stopped, searched by ICE on Long Island: Lawyer
- Video shows immigration agents interrogating a Latino
- US citizen stopped, searched by ICE on Long Island: Lawyer
