ICE Sparks Nighttime Protest with Hospital Arrest in Bushwick

A tense scene unfolded late Saturday night outside Wyckoff Heights Medical Center in Bushwick, Brooklyn, as ICE agents forcibly arrested Chidozie Wilson Okeke, a Nigerian man, sparking a large protest that lasted well into the early morning.

Video footage shows ICE officers dragging Okeke out of the hospital, where he had been brought for medical treatment. According to an ICE spokesperson, Okeke was wanted for overstaying his visa and had prior arrests for assault and drug possession. ICE claims Okeke resisted arrest violently, attempting to use his vehicle against officers and physically assaulting them, which led to the use of what they describe as "the minimum amount of force necessary."

But community leaders and activists paint a different picture. Brooklyn Councilmember Sandy Nurse was present from 11 p.m. to 3 a.m., describing how word spread quickly that ICE had detained someone at the ER under questionable circumstances. Despite repeated attempts, Nurse and others were unable to obtain information about the detainee from ICE during the ordeal. After roughly five hours, Okeke was discharged, but by then a large crowd had gathered, protesting what they called an abusive and militarized ICE operation inside a healthcare facility.

Nurse also challenged the NYPD’s official statement denying involvement in the arrest, asserting on social media that police officers coordinated directly with ICE by cordoning off the ambulance bay to facilitate Okeke’s removal. The NYPD only acknowledged responding to calls once the crowd became disorderly and blocked traffic.

Eight protesters were charged with offenses including resisting arrest and obstructing governmental administration, highlighting the aggressive crackdown on those opposing ICE’s presence.

Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso condemned the incident on social media, calling ICE’s presence in Bushwick "deeply alarming" and urging residents to report ICE activity to the Hands Off NYC hotline.

This incident underscores a disturbing pattern of ICE leveraging healthcare settings for immigration enforcement, undermining trust in essential services and escalating fear in immigrant communities. The collaboration between ICE and local police further exposes the entanglement of federal immigration raids with local law enforcement, raising urgent questions about accountability and civil rights protections in New York City.