CHELSEA, Mass. — A Massachusetts mother is suing the federal government, accusing ICE agents of violently detaining her in front of her two children, including her son who has autism. The family said the agents ignored repeated attempts to explain their legal status and her son’s disability. Though, ICE said their actions were necessary.
Video shows the moments after masked federal immigration agents surround Hilda Ramirez Sanan’s car, shattering the windows, pulling her out and forcing her to the ground, at one point losing consciousness, she says.
It happened last year near Chelsea District Court.
Born in Guatemala, Ramirez Sanan says she moved to the States 25 years ago and has raised her family in the U.S. as a lawful permanent resident.
During the encounter, Ramirez Sanan said she was speaking to ICE agents, trying to explain her family’s situation, including that her 13-year-old son has autism.
“I was just looking out for my son because I could see that they were pulling him to the side, they were asking him things, and he doesn’t know what danger is,” Ramirez Sanan said. “I was fearful for his life and what they were going to do to him or if he ran away, what was going to happen to him.”
Ramirez Sanan says her son was removed from the car, as her daughter ran to them, watching as agents restrained her mother and brother.
“I was fearful for both of them because when I was on the floor, I could just hear the screaming, the yelling around me, and I couldn’t see what was happening,” Ramirez Sanan said.
The family says Chelsea police intervened and requested an identification check, and afterwards the family was released.
“I’m very grateful that our local police were there to help us, to free us because if they hadn’t gotten there in time, I don’t know what would have happened,” Ramirez Sanan said.
Ramirez Sanan and her children are now suing the federal government, alleging unlawful detention, assault, and emotional harm.
The mother says this encounter has haunted her for the last year.
“I go to sleep, and I wake up screaming from nightmares,” Ramirez Sanan said. “They’re coming here and treating our community like we are animals, hurting us and doing things that we don’t deserve because many of us came here for jobs, looking for a better future. We’re not hurting anyone; we’re not criminals. We’re just hardworking people, so with this I hope that the system changes, that justice is made for people who have gone through many things like me.”
In a statement, DHS responded to the lawsuit, writing, “Another day and another hoax peddled by the media. ICE did not try to arrest Hilda Ramirez Sanan. The facts are ICE was targeting and successfully arrested Jose Ramirez-Perez, a criminal illegal alien from Guatemala with charges for indecent assault and battery and a sex crime on a child. This child rapist was released by local police because of sanctuary policies. We are not going to allow pedophiles to harm the most innocent in our country. ICE did not arrest anyone else except for this child predator. To make the arrest, ICE conducted a targeted vehicle stop. The driver and the passengers tried to hide Ramirez-Perez from law enforcement by placing him on the floor of the vehicle, but ICE law enforcement officers identified that he was in the car because they saw his ankle monitoring device issued to him because of his criminal charges poking out. The driver and passenger refused to comply with officer commands. Our officers used the proportionate amount of force necessary to make the arrest. This is a perfect example of how sanctuary politicians are putting the public and our law enforcement officers at risk. This arrest should have been conducted in a controlled safe transfer. Instead, our law enforcement officers were forced to make the arrest at-large.”
Attorneys for Hilda Ramirez Sanan and her two children responded by writing, “The case is about ICE’s brutal treatment of Hilda, a lawful resident, and her two US citizen children. The photo and video evidence included in our complaint directly refutes ICE’s attempt to defend their illegal treatment of our Plaintiffs.”
The lawsuit was filed in federal court Wednesday. Attorneys are now waiting for the government to respond in court.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.
Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW
©2026 Cox Media Group
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/7QOJU3BNCJERBNKJC5LWTBYFLU.png)
