‘I’ve done nothing wrong’: Body camera video shows police officer helping US citizen detained by ICE
Body camera video shows an Oklahoma City police officer stepping in after ICE detained a U.S. citizen.
New body camera video shows the moments after a U.S. citizen was being detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents until an Oklahoma City police officer stepped in to help.
Jesson Baez said this all started because one of his coworkers was detained on July 9, and he said he was trying to call the man’s family to let them know what was going on.
Body camera video shows US citizen detained by ICE
The incident took place on Interstate 44 just after 8:30 a.m. Baez said he saw a coworker get pulled over by an unmarked vehicle, which he later found out was ICE.
Baez then pulled over, too.
“When I turn around, I see a white woman in a green uniform who, I’m not sure who she was or what I was being stopped for, but she went ahead and said, ‘What are you doing?’ I told her, ‘I’m waiting for my family members to pick up the vehicle. My friend’s family members.’ She proceeds to tell me I’m under arrest or being charged federally — I’m not sure, I was pretty scared at the time — and proceeds to grab me,” Baez said.
Around that same time, an Oklahoma City police officer pulled up.
“She hands me over. She tells him to handcuff me, which again, I’m not sure why I’m being detained,” Baez said.
The body camera video released by the Oklahoma City Police Department did not include audio in specific parts of the video, so it isn’t clear what the officer said to the ICE agent or in the moments leading up to Baez being placed in the back of the police car.
Video shows Baez looking back at the agent and officer speaking outside the vehicle.
“Lord, please, please let me get to this situation. I’ve done nothing wrong. I’ve done nothing wrong,” Baez said while in the back of the car.
Finally, after a long five minutes, the officer came back to Baez.
“Once they take off, you’ll be free to go,” the officer said.
“Why are we under attack? Why the brown community? Why us?” Baez said.
“As you can see, my car passed them,” the officer said.
“I’m so glad you stopped, man, because this is insane. Like, bro, we’re here to work. I’m a U.S. citizen. My dad came here legally. He did his thing, and I don’t understand why they’re just picking and choosing only people in yellow shirts. It’s insane. We’re all on the way to work,” Baez said.
Police declined to comment, but the Oklahoma City Police Department confirmed that the officer was driving by when he saw what was going on and stepped in to help.
“Literally, I was driving to another call, and I saw her putting you …” the officer said.
“They took him for no reason! He was on his way to work. We’re all on the way to work. I’m a U.S. citizen,” Baez said. “I was letting his mom know they took him. I was on the phone, and she hung that phone call up.”
Hearst sister station KOCO reached out to ICE for comment but has not yet heard back.
Attorney says other US citizens have been detained in Oklahoma by ICE
Immigration attorney and state Sen. Michael Brooks-Jimenez said he himself has had to deal with similar cases of ICE identifying one person as deportable then detaining others as “collateral damage.”
“Even American citizens, unfortunately, in this climate, aren’t always safe,” said Brooks-Jimenez. “I’ve actually had a couple clients who were American citizens who have actually been charged in federal court for assaulting a federal officer when all they’ve tried to do is to be able to ask questions.”
Brooks-Jimenez said in that case, an agent chipped the man’s tooth.
“ICE had deported necessary witnesses, and so as a result, the prosecution wasn’t able to go forward,” Brooks-Jimenez said.
Then, it was dismissed.
The attorney said he doesn’t think instances like these are going to stop.
“I don’t think that this individual, it sounds like, owes anyone an apology for being able to use their cell phone, for being able to take a picture, especially if they’re trying to advise the family of the person who’s otherwise detained, and so, unfortunately, I think people need to be careful. I think if they’re asked by law enforcement for their name and their date of birth, I think it’s fair to be able to answer those questions,” Brooks-Jimenez said.
