Pregnant U.S. Citizen Had To Be Hospitalized After Bering 'Manhandled' By ICE, Complaint Claims

A U.S. citizen who was nine months pregnant ended up being hospitalized after being detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Cary Lopez Alvarado, 28, was detained in California on June 8, the Miami Herald reported. A federal claim filed on her behalf Aug. 20 accuses federal authorities of racial profiling in the government's immigration enforcement efforts.

"The agents manhandled Ms. Alvarado by grabbing and pulling Ms. Alvarado's arms, twisting her arm on the truck, and pushing her body, including her pregnant belly, onto the truck," the complaint, filed by attorneys with the Carrillo Law Firm, states, according to the outlet. "Border Patrol or ICE agents then shackled Ms. Alvarado with a chain under her pregnant belly, hands, and legs."

The reportedly incident began when federal authorities followed Alvarado's boyfriend and her cousin, who were driving a truck. Alvarado was waiting at a property where the pair were working. When they arrived at the gated property, federal agents attempted to enter the property, and Alvarado stepped forward to ask if they had a warrant.

NBC News added in a report of its own that in a video of the arrest, Alvarado tells the agents: "I'm gonna need you guys to leave. This is private property." At the time the agents were attempting to force open gates to the property.

The network reported that in another video, one of the agents tells Alvarado "Excuse me, ma'am. You are interfering with my arrest. I'm doing my job. ... Can you please move away?" Alvarado responded, "I'm not moving away."

Alvarado began experiencing sharp pains in her stomach after being released, leading her to being hospitalized.

The Miami Herald reported that a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson disputed allegations of racial profiling. "What makes someone a target for immigration enforcement is if they are illegally in the U.S. — NOT their skin color, race, or ethnicity."

In the emailed statement, the spokesperson said, "70% of ICE arrests are of criminal illegal aliens who have been convicted or have pending charges."

DHS had also said that Alvarado was detained for interfering in the arrest of "two Guatemalan illegal aliens."