Not even Christmas Eve stopped the immigration operations driven by the Donald Trump administration in the United States, where arrests were reported in Washington, New York, and other cities.
Videos circulated on social media show agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) making arrests of migrants outside supermarkets in Washington state and New York, sparking outrage and distress among witnesses and families.
One of the cases occurred in the state of Washington, where a man was arrested as he was leaving a supermarket with his purchases, reported Telemundo.
The migrant was intercepted by federal agents and taken into custody. The agents carried the purchases in the shopping cart.
"I couldn't believe it!" said a man identified as Jaime Ortiz, who witnessed the arrest and tried to help the detainee by asking for phone numbers to notify his family.
Ortiz described the scene as "devastating" and condemned the operations right on the eve of Christmas, when many families were preparing to celebrate.
A similar situation occurred in New York, where a woman was arrested under similar circumstances, also near a commercial establishment, provoking anger and frustration among those who witnessed the operation.
The cases have reignited criticism against ICE for making arrests in sensitive public spaces, even during holiday periods, a practice that immigrant advocacy organizations deem unnecessarily traumatic and dehumanizing.
On social media, users reported that these operations tear families apart during Christmas, leaving children and relatives without immediate information about the whereabouts of their loved ones.
"Even on Christmas Eve there was no pause," lamented a community activist in New York.
The Trump administration had announced that the operations would continue, even during the holidays.
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