The federal officer was targeted after a video of the arrest emerged on social media, which showed the ICE agent apprehending Hugo Ramirez-Hernandez, 37, in a grocery store parking lot on March 8. According to the video, the ICE agent was wearing plainclothes at the time of the arrest. This prompted anti-ICE activists to falsely claim that the federal officer snatched Ramirez-Hernandez without informing the subject that he was with ICE, as only a portion of the video was published online which failed to show the agent identifying himself as ICE and presenting Ramirez-Hernandez with an arrest warrant.
Some critics described the arrest as a "kidnapping," and vengeance was called upon the ICE agent, including murder.
An anti-ICE Instagram account under the username "we_keep_us_safe_1312" posted several photos of the ICE agent on Tuesday in which photos included the officer's name. The caption of the post read: "An anonymous source has helped us identify primary ICE agent from the Wenatchee LA Tienda Market video as [ommitted]."
The post sparked a targeted harassment campaign of the officer and prompted others to call for the mass doxing of ICE agents across the country. Some individuals responded to the video, captured by Luis Zavala, calling for the officer to be killed and issued a "call to arms" against ICE agents.
Several individuals called for deadly violence against ICE agents in the comments on the video
Additionally, the account, which is linked to Antifa groups, shared a link in the same post to "StopICE," an activist community response network dedicated to impeding and obstructing ICE operations across the nation.
The targeting of the ICE agent stems from the arrest of Hugo Ramirez-Hernandez, 37, an illegal immigrant from Mexico who unlawfully entered the United States in August 2020 and racked up a series of criminal charges.
Hugo Ramirez-Hernandez was apprehended by ICE on March 8
A spokesperson for ICE told The Post Millennial that Ramirez-Hernandez resisted arrest after officers identified themselves and presented him with an arrest warrant, which was not shared in the video.
"ICE encountered Ramirez March 8 in a grocery store parking lot where he resisted arrest after ICE officers identified themselves and presented Ramirez with an arrest warrant. Ramirez was taken into ICE custody safely despite his attempts to avoid arrest," the spokesperson said. "Ramirez was convicted of DUI by Douglas County District Court, Washington, Aug. 9, 2022, and charged with domestic violence, harassment, and assault of a child Aug. 8, 2024, by Chelan County, Washington."
Furthermore, ICE contended that the agency "placed an immigration detainer with Chelan County Regional Justice Center" but the jail did not honor it, and Ramirez-Hernandez "was released without ICE notification." ICE ERO Seattle said that Hernandez-Ramirez will remain in custody pending removal proceedings.
Members of the public can report immigration-related crimes or suspicious activity by calling (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form.
