Heavily pregnant US citizen chained by Border Patrol agents before giving birth
It sounds like a dramatic movie plot, but for one pregnant woman, it was a terrifying reality.
She claims she was detained and chained by federal agents while nine months pregnant, shortly before going into labor.
An Encounter During Work
Cary López Alvarado was with her boyfriend, Brayan Nájera, and cousin, Alberto Sandoval, on June 8.
They were outside a building where the two men were performing maintenance work.
Suddenly, federal agents arrived on the scene.
According to López, the encounter quickly escalated.
She described agents interacting with her boyfriend and cousin.
“They had my boyfriend on the ground already, and they had tackled my cousin down … that’s when I was inside the car just banging on the door,” López said. “[I was asking] ‘What are you doing? Why are you guys treating us like this? We didn’t do anything wrong.’”
The Official Account
A statement from a Department of Homeland Security representative provides context for the agents’ actions.
The statement indicated that agents were attempting to access a vehicle.
This vehicle reportedly contained “two Guatemalan illegal aliens” inside.
According to the DHS statement, López was arrested because she was obstructing agents from accessing the car.
The situation reportedly turned confrontational.
The statement also claims that “agents were assaulted” during the incident.
An additional subject was reportedly taken into custody for pushing an officer.
Inside the Processing Facility
After being detained, López was taken to a processing facility in San Pedro.
She recounted feeling presumed to be undocumented.
“[They said] ‘But you’re from Mexico, right?’ And I’m like ‘No, I’m from here,’” López said. “[They asked] … ‘Where’s here?’ and I’m like, ‘Here, the U.S., Los Angeles.”
She also described being placed in restraints.
“They put us in chains, so I had a chain from my hands under my belly that went all the way to my legs,” she added. “Every now and then, I would fix my hands because I felt like I would be putting too much pressure because the chain went under my belly.”
Restraining individuals during detention is a standard procedure in many law enforcement contexts for safety and security.
The Aftermath
López was released from the facility after complaining of stomach pain.
She immediately sought medical attention.
Shortly after, she went into labor and gave birth to a healthy baby girl just four days after the incident.
However, the stress of the situation reportedly continues for her family.
Her boyfriend, Brayan Nájera, remains detained at a facility in Texas.
López’s legal team stated that she has not been charged with any crime.
The incident highlights the complexities and challenges faced by agents operating in areas where enforcement actions intersect with the public.
A fundraising campaign has been initiated to help López cover legal costs for her boyfriend and manage childcare expenses.