NEW:
@ICEgov is disputing claims that its officers separated a Honduran mother from her two children at a restaurant—saying she was taken into federal custody directly from the Harris County Jail, and the field office director is weighing in.
The agency says Julia Marisol Ortiz Zelaya, 38, was arrested by
@houstonpolice Sept. 20th for allegedly fighting at a bar and possessing cocaine, then transferred to ICE two days later.
ICE says the Greater Houston Coalition for Justice and LULAC promoted the restaurant account during an Oct. 20th news conference declaring an immigration enforcement “state of emergency.”
In an exclusive statement to
@NewsNation,
@EROHouston Field Office Director Bret Bradford saying, “This so called ‘state of emergency’ on immigration enforcement was based on a complete lie that neither the Greater Houston Coalition for Justice or LULAC bothered to check before holding a press conference to defame the hardworking men and women of ICE. It’s sad that the media, which used to be a force for the good of the people, have become so openly political that they would eschew their journalistic obligation to check the veracity of their sources before attacking our brave law enforcement officers. Had they performed even the most basic background check they would have been alerted to the fact that she was separated from her kids by local law enforcement after she was found fighting at a local bar with cocaine in her possession. What needs to be looked into now is why Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare, who has gone out of the way to attack ICE and investigate our officers, was so quick to drop the charges in a slam dunk case like this given she was facing felony criminal charges.”
ICE says Ortiz Zelaya has a deportation order and remains in custody pending removal.