Mexican man detained by ICE in Virginia wakes in hospital with injuries, alleges electric shock

A Mexican migrant residing in Virginia claims he was violently apprehended by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, resulting in a head injury and hospitalization. José Mejía Hernández stated that on August 11, while waiting for a bus to go to work, he was approached by two individuals in a van. Fearing it was immigration enforcement, he ran. Mejía alleges that he was then shot with an electric stun gun, after which he lost consciousness. He awoke hours later in a Washington hospital with a swollen face, seven stitches on his lip, and a diagnosed brain hemorrhage. Mejía, who has lived in the U.S. for 18-19 years, expressed distress over his condition, his inability to work, and his family responsibilities. He vehemently denied being a criminal. ICE, however, stated that Mejía was in the United States illegally and had a 2020 conviction for public intoxication in Fairfax, Virginia. The agency asserted that Mejía attempted to flee when agents approached him, compelling them to use the necessary force for his apprehension. ICE confirmed that he was immediately transported to the hospital after falling. The incident has drawn criticism from U.S. congress members and activists who condemned the potential use of electric gloves against migrants as "repugnant and barbaric." The Mexican government has initiated actions concerning 17 Mexicans who have died in situations related to ICE, 14 of whom were in the agency's custody.

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By my instinct, I started running.