Anti-ICE Protestors Rally To Defend Illegal Nigerian Immigrant Outside NYC Hospital

According to officials, the anti-ICE protesters outside a Brooklyn hospital on May 2 were supporting an immigrant living in the U.S. illegally who was previously taken into custody on assault and drug possession charges.

According to the New York Post, the migrant has been identified as Chidozie Wilson Okeke. The Nigerian national entered the U.S. on August 27, 2023, on a tourist visa. A spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security said he was supposed to leave the U.S. on February 26, 2024. However, instead, he remained in the country after his visa expired.

On May 2, authorities located him in connection with the previous assault and criminal drug possession charges. He has been on the radar of Immigration and Customs Enforcement for some time.

The Homeland Security representative told the Post, “During his arrest, Okeke refused to comply with officers’ lawful commands to exit the vehicle and weaponized his vehicle to attempt to hit ICE officers. Okeke became physically combative, attempting to punch and elbow ICE officers.”

“Our officers followed their training and used the minimum amount of force necessary to make the arrest,” the DHS representative added.

According to officials, Okeke was brought to Wyckoff Heights Medical Center in Bushwick because he needed medical attention. However, there, he allegedly refused to comply with staff instructions. According to DHS, he was “throwing himself to the floor and screaming.”

Okeke was later medically cleared. Anti-ICE protesters later learned of Okeke’s hospitalization. According to the outlet, about 200 protesters showed up outside the hospital, trying to stop immigration officers from leaving with him.

Around 10:30 p.m. on Saturday, the NYPD was called to the scene after the crowd blocked hospital exits and created chaos. The violent clash between the cops and the protestors was caught on camera.

According to the Post, police arrested about nine protestors from the scene while ICE tried to escort Okeke in an SUV. Among the arrested demonstrators were some out-of-state individuals, including some from Wisconsin and New Hampshire.

Around 2:45 a.m. on May 3, the protests finally dispersed, and Okeke was taken away by ICE. In a statement, the DHS representative said, “The protesters damaged several ICE vehicles and assaulted ICE officers, resulting in minor injuries to the officers. Assaulting law enforcement is a felony and crime.”

Another law enforcement insider said, “If the NYPD wasn’t there to keep the peace, God knows what these ICE agents would have done.”