She Was Handcuffed While Protecting a Family from ICE

Federal immigration authorities arrived at a Central American family’s Trenton home on Bayard Street on a calm morning, causing dread, confrontation, and confusion. A local activist helped the family while they were too terrified to leave, but she was handcuffed by the end.

A Help Request Becomes a Confrontation

Immigrant rights organizer Asma Elhuni of Resistencia en Acción NJ received an urgent call before 7:30 a.m. on Thursday. A family with young children stated that ICE authorities demanded admittance outside their home. The Guatemalan family was afraid and unsure what to do.

Elhuni, part of the fast reaction squad that assists immigrants during ICE operations, rushed to the scene. She recorded the situation and repeatedly asked ICE authorities for a judicial warrant, which is needed to enter a private property without consent.

Elhuni said one ICE officer called her a “criminal” instead of delivering the warrant. Tensions rose as footage emerged of her yelling at agents to safeguard the family’s rights.

Advocate to Arrestee

Trenton police came shortly after the confrontation. Within moments, Elhuni was arrested for obstruction. Afterward, she was shocked to be arrested for lawfully educating the family about their rights.

“I was standing on a public sidewalk, telling them they couldn’t go in without a warrant,” she said. “I did nothing wrong. My only purpose was to protect this family from intimidation.”

Police have clashed with Elhuni before. She was arrested earlier this summer at a protest at Newark’s Delaney Hall detention center, where activists allege undocumented detainees were mistreated.

Fear at Home

The Guatemalan family of seven—four adults, including a pregnant lady, and three children—remained inside, terrified by the standoff. Resistencia leaders said children were scared, parents felt trapped, and the family was devastated.

“These are hardworking day laborers who contribute to their community,” stated Ana Paola Pazmiño, executive director of the group. “They’re not criminals. ICE closing the roadway with unmarked cars scared them.”

ICE presence prevented some neighbors from leaving for work, disrupting their lives.

ICE in the Neighborhood—Why?

It is unclear why ICE agents were in the Trenton neighborhood. The agency acknowledged requests but did not respond. The incident occurred one day after ICE arrested 29 people at an Edison warehouse raid.

Advocates like Elhuni see the timing as significant. ICE targets communities of color to make arrests, regardless of legal permission to enter houses, she argues. “If they had a warrant, they would have used it,” she added, suggesting the agency starts with intimidation.

Local Authorities Respond

Trenton police officers said they were there to keep order and keep people safe. Mayor Reed Gusciora said the city must balance immigration rights with public safety. He said Trenton will uphold the New Jersey Attorney General’s Immigrant Trust Directive, which limits local police cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.

Still, immigrant rights groups say Elhuni’s detention sends the wrong message. They believe punishing a community advocate for requesting legal documents damages public trust and discourages speaking out.

A Bigger Immigration Enforcement Debate

Trenton’s events mirror a national strife. ICE claims to uphold federal law, but critics say it terrorizes immigrant neighborhoods, often pursuing families without significant crimes.

Elhuni’s story raises questions about how far local advocates can go to safeguard immigrant communities and whether standing up to federal agents could become personal.

Shaken but uninjured, the family stays in Trenton. This regular request for help has become another chapter in Elhuni’s lengthy and public fight against unlawful immigration detention and enforcement.

Sources

• NJ Advance Media

• Statements from Resistencia en Acción NJ

• Trenton Police Department

• Mayor Reed Gusciora’s Office