Gonzalez says ICE's continued abuse of power and unnecessary force cannot be normalized
Vicente Gonzalez Jr.U.S. representative from Texas, in a post on X
Newsweek reported that Rep. Vicente Gonzalez wrote on X that the country cannot normalize what he called the continued abuse of power, unnecessary use of force and profiling by ICE.
“These are not the values we would ask of future service members who sign up to risk their lives for our families in the name of freedom; we cannot normalize the continued abuse of power, unnecessary use of force, and profiling being deployed by a rogue ICE agency.”
Reporting
Where this statement fits
Was ICE's use of force in arresting Luis Ochoa in Alamo, Texas, justified?
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers arrested Luis Ochoa, 17, and a 17-year-old friend in Alamo, Texas, on Sept. 11, 2026. Ochoa says the two stopped to record ICE agents, that he never resisted, that agents pepper-sprayed him and broke his wrist, and that both teenagers are U.S. citizens who were on their way to a Marine recruiter's office. The Department of Homeland Security says the two attempted to obstruct a vehicle stop and followed officers afterward, that one banged on a government vehicle's window and resisted detention, and that officers relied on their training.
Source and context
Reporting
About this source
Newsweek report published Sept. 18. It carries a written statement from Rep. Henry Cuellar, quotes an X post by Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, quotes Luis Ochoa's accounts to KRGV and Telemundo, and includes DHS's response. It attributes the teenagers' U.S. citizenship to Teresa Ochoa, the mother of one of them.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Before the quotation
Newsweek reported that Gonzalez, a Texas Democrat, posted on X that the agents' actions were shameful and fear-inciting tactics.
After the quotation
Newsweek's excerpt of the post goes on to say that failing to repeal what Gonzalez called extreme Republican policies will dissuade future generations of younger South Texans from contributing to the country.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
In a post that Newsweek reports as a response to the Alamo arrests, Gonzalez expressly calls ICE's conduct an abuse of power and an unnecessary use of force, which rejects the conduct under review.
- Recorded on
- Published here
- People and groups discussed
- U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
More from this case
Read the full caseCuellar calls the Alamo arrests an on-camera assault on two U.S. citizen teenagers
“Further, I have been equally engaged in the on-camera assault on two U.S. citizen teenagers by ICE agents in Alamo, TX as well as the recent deportation of Teresa de Jesus Ochoa Briseno. We are awaiting further clarification from ICE on the events of that day and if and when the agent’s body-worn camera footage may be released to Congress.”Read statement
Cuellar calls for a thorough investigation of ICE's use of force in Alamo
“Any use of force by authorities should be thoroughly and immediately investigated. As Ranking Member of Homeland Security Appropriations, I brought up my concerns directly to ICE leadership and look forward to answers on this incident in a timely manner.”Read statement
Bobby Pulido says ICE agents' actions against two Alamo teens were unconstitutional
“I saw a really disturbing video of two young men that, 17 years old, were on their way to sign up for the U.S. Marine Corps. Happened upon an ICE stop, and recorded, which is their Constitutional right, and subsequently were beat up, maced These are young Americans that happened to look Hispanic. This is wrong. To all my conservative friends, this is not conservatism. This is unconstitutional. Our Constitution should mean something, and racial profiling, what they’re doing right now, is just not right. It’s not illegal to record. Something needs to be done”Read statement
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- Gonzalez says ICE's continued abuse of power and unnecessary force cannot be normalized
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The Dispute Index. "Gonzalez says ICE's continued abuse of power and unnecessary force cannot be normalized". First published: 2026-09-26. Last updated: 2026-09-26. https://disputeindex.com/events/2712-newsweek-reported-that-rep-vicente-gonzalez-wrote-on