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DHS Denies NBC Claims of ICE Using Autistic Girl as Bait in Father’s Arrest
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s assistant secretary for public affairs, Tricia McLaughlin, strongly refuted a report from NBC News that accused U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents of using a five-year-old autistic girl as bait to apprehend her father, who is reportedly an illegal alien from Guatemala. The incident in question occurred in Massachusetts.
Footage obtained by Telemundo Nueva Inglaterra depicts the young girl sitting next to a law enforcement SUV, clutching a bottle, while surrounded by multiple male officers outside her home in Leominster. This event took place last Tuesday.
According to the NBC report, Edwards Hip Mejia, the girl’s father, allegedly expressed to his wife that he suspected being followed and decided to drive home. Upon arrival, he purportedly ran toward the parking lot, which prompted agents to allegedly seize their daughter, as his wife recounted to Telemundo.
The situation escalated further when the child’s mother urgently informed the officers of her daughter’s condition, indicating that she is on the autism spectrum. She demanded the immediate return of her child, highlighting the distressing circumstances.
In response to the allegations, McLaughlin characterized the NBC report as a
