A 7-month pregnant woman has told Newsweek immigration agents beat her Venezuelan husband after he tried to evade detention.
Carla Rodríguez said 21-year-old Reinel Fernando Acosta Rodríguez was beaten as he tried to flee from agents at the Illinois warehouse where he worked last month.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has denied the claims, telling Newsweek they were “categorically false,” and that Acosta Rodríguez was detained as he attempted to flee the scene.
Why it Matters
The detention comes under President Donald Trump’s crackdown on undocumented immigrants. The White House has said anyone living in the U.S. illegally is considered to be a “criminal.”
The administration is enacting plans to carry out what it calls the largest deportation operation in U.S. history as part of the Republicans‘ hardline immigration agenda.
What to Know
Acosta Rodríguez – an undocumented immigrant from Venezuela who, according to his wife, had been in the process of applying for asylum – was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents on June 6.
Olga Fedorova/AP
“Immigration agents arrived unexpectedly,” Carla Rodríguez told Newsweek. “He called me, it was around 11:45. He said: ‘Love, immigration is here. I’m going to run.’
“He tried to escape… but there were many agents around. They saw him run. He told me five or six agents were chasing him.
“He’s very skinny, so he ran as fast as he could, but they still caught him.”
Agents tackled Acosta Rodríguez to the ground where he said they beat him.
“He told me they tackled him, beat him, and then picked him up,” said his wife.
DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin denied this claim.
“The allegation that ICE agents beat Reinel Fernando Acosta Rodríguez is categorically FALSE,” McLaughlin told Newsweek. “ICE arrested Rodriguez after he attempted to flee but no injuries were reported.”
“ICE and CBP conducted an inspection of Gemini Express, a CBP bonded warehouse, a facility overseen by custom authorities where imported goods are inspected. Agents entered the facility that they have access to and verbally identified themselves as law enforcement while wearing identification.
“During the inspection, agents encountered Rodríguez as an illegal alien with access to bonded merchandise.
“Rodriguez is a Venezuelan national who illegally entered the United States near El Paso, Texas, on November 20, 2023, and was RELEASED into our country by the Biden administration.”
Carla Rodriguez said Acosta Rodríguez had entered the U.S. in 2023 as part of a migrant caravan, and had turned himself into immigration officials in Chicago before being sent to a shelter.
“It’s been very traumatic,” she said. “I feel desperate. I feel powerless. It’s like the world changed overnight.
“We always kept to ourselves, from work to home. We didn’t bother anyone. All he wanted was to build a future. He came here with a purpose — because in his country, there’s no way to have a home, buy anything, or survive. It feels like his dreams have been completely crushed.”
“When the previous president was in office, we felt more at ease, safer,” she added.
“I know people have different opinions, but now there’s a lot of uncertainty.
“So many things are happening that it makes people scared. I go out because I have to, but seeing so many people suffering — it hurts me a lot.”
What Happens Next
Acosta Rodríguez is set to remain in ICE custody in Missouri ahead of potential deportation, pending removal proceedings.
ICE is arresting thousands of migrants without legal status, and more than 65,000 people have been deported so far in 2025. As of June 15, 56,397 people were in detention nationwide: In May alone, 28,896 people were booked into ICE detention.
Meanwhile, the nation’s top immigration enforcement agency is set to receive additional resources. Under the One Big Beautiful Bill, ICE will receive $45 billion to expand its detention capacity to nearly 100,000 beds, $14 billion for transportation and removals, $8 billion to hire 10,000 new deportation officers, and billions more for state and local cooperation programs, technology upgrades, and incentives to retain ICE personnel.