ICE Agent Fired After Assaulting Woman in New York Returns to Work

ICE agent assaults woman but is reinstated

Video sparked public outrage

Husband faces immediate deportation

According to EFE, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent who was fired last week after assaulting a woman in New York has been reinstated, CBS revealed Monday.

The case, which drew public outrage and criticism from top officials, remains controversial due to the lack of official confirmation from federal authorities.

The agent, whose name has not been disclosed, was caught on video shoving and violently throwing a woman to the ground inside a federal building in Manhattan.

The footage quickly spread on social media, raising questions about ICE protocols in tense situations involving immigrant families.

CBS Reports ICE Agent Reinstatement After Preliminary Review

ICE agent fired after assaulting woman in New York returns to work https://t.co/x9yOZF4R76

— Radio Reloj, Cuba (@RadioRelojCuba) September 30, 2025

CBS, citing two officials familiar with the case, reported that the officer was authorized to return to work after a preliminary review of the incident.

The event occurred last Thursday inside the building that houses ICE offices and immigration court in New York.

In the video, the plainclothes officer is seen confronting a crying woman who pleaded in Spanish for him not to detain her husband.

The sequence shows the officer throwing her to the ground before repeatedly telling her “adiós” in Spanish as he walked away.

ICE Agent Assaults Woman and Sparks DHS Criticism

An ICE agent violently knocked down the wife of a detainee during an operation in New York. The incident, caught on video, triggered criticism over excessive use of force and treatment of migrant families. Where is the line? #ICE pic.twitter.com/Cg566iXk8Z

— envozmx (@envozmxoficial) September 26, 2025

The episode prompted immediate reactions within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), under which ICE operates.

Deputy Secretary Tricia McLaughlin called the officer’s behavior “unacceptable.”

Speaking to the media, she said ICE agents must uphold the “highest professional standards” in their interactions with the public.

She also confirmed that the agent had been “relieved of duty” following the video’s release.

ICE Identifies Rubén Abelardo Ortiz López

ICE agent assaults woman in New York – Photo: Shutterstock

However, the CBS report indicates that the officer is already back at work.

Neither ICE nor DHS has confirmed or denied the broadcaster’s information.

The situation has fueled confusion and anger among pro-immigrant groups, who are demanding clear sanctions against the agent.

The case also involves the woman’s husband, identified as Rubén Abelardo Ortiz López.

Ortiz and Wife Face Deportation Proceedings

According to ICE, Ortiz López crossed the U.S.–Mexico border irregularly in March 2024.

The agency stated that local authorities arrested him in June and had been searching for him since then.

Charges against him included assault and criminal obstruction of breathing or blood circulation.

ICE also reported that the assaulted woman, seen in the video being pushed by the officer, does not have legal status in the country.