Man calls for criminal investigation into alleged violent ICE arrest in Northern Virginia
Jose Meijia Hernandez Calls for Investigation into Alleged Violent ICE Arrest
ARLINGTON, Va. - A man is calling for a criminal investigation after he said he was brutally attacked by ICE agents while walking to a bus stop in Arlington.
Jose Meijia Hernandez and his attorneys said he is taking matters into his own hand after going 17 days without help.
What we know:
Hernandez said he was walking to a bus stop on Columbia Pike to get to work when he was attacked. The incident left him with a brain injury.
The incident on Aug. 11 was captured on a cellphone video.
"Mr. Hernandez wakes up unconscious with blood all over his face, with his brain swelling because he suffered a brain injury," said his attorney Denisse Gastelum.
According to Hernandez, he was walking when he saw strangers approach who did not look like law enforcement. He got scared and started running, and later woke up bleeding all over his head and face.
Hernandez and his attorneys said they have not heard anything from local, state or federal law enforcement or lawmakers about how this was allowed to happen and what happens next.
On Friday, they filed a formal complaint with Arlington Police, asking them to launch a criminal investigation.
Arlington Commonwealth's Attorney Parisa Dehgani-Tafti says she supports diving deeper into the incident.
"It's absolutely necessary to send the message that nobody is above the law," Dehgani-Tafti said.
"Doesn't matter if you're a federal official or regular person on the street," she added. "Everybody must be held accountable, and I'll do my utmost to make sure that happens."
DHS refutes claims
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is refuting Hernandez's claims, saying he tried to flee and forced ICE agents to "use necessary force to gain control of the situation."
Hernandez was taken into custody and later to a hospital as a precaution, DHS officials said.
According to DHS, Hernandez entered the U.S. illegally from Mexico in 2006. He was arrested and accepted a voluntary return.
He returned at some point after 2008, officials said.
In 2020, DHS said Hernandez was convicted in Fairfax County for public intoxication. He was released from ICE custody with GPS monitoring. On Aug. 19, they removed an ankle monitor and began tracking Hernandez through his phone.
ICE agents said they provided fist aid to Hernandez and followed their training during the interaction.
In a statement, DHS said, "On August 11, 2026, ICE arrested Jose Mejia Hernandez, a criminal illegal alien from Mexico. During the arrest, he attempted the flee from the scene requiring ICE to use necessary force to gain control of the situation. He was taken into custody and later to a hospital out of precaution."
The Source: Information in this article is from the Department of Homeland Security and original FOX 5 DC reporting.