The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has firmly dismissed allegations that a Los Angeles mother was forcibly taken by bounty hunters for immigration purposes, labeling the incident as a "hoax.
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The narrative surrounding Yuriana Julia Pelaez Calderon suggested she was seized by armed individuals while en route to her workplace, purportedly with the assistance of bounty hunters involved in immigration enforcement, as reported by the New York Post.
According to Breitbart, Calderon allegedly managed to contact her family twice, recounting her ordeal of being transported to a border station and handed over to ICE officials. These officials reportedly pressured her to sign self-deportation documents and exit the country.
When she resisted, she was purportedly detained in a warehouse, described as a facility holding both men and women without any law enforcement presence, according to Medina. Calderon claimed that some individuals had been confined in the warehouse for months, refusing to self-deport.
The DHS has categorically refuted these claims, following reports from outlets such as KTLA and the Los Angeles Times that treated the story as factual. "This bizarre tale about being picked up by bounty hunters, taken to an unmarked warehouse without access to food, water, or an attorney were clearly fabricated," the department stated on X Tuesday. "This woman was never arrested or kidnapped by ICE."
Furthermore, the DHS clarified that it does not employ or collaborate with private bounty hunters, criticizing the Los Angeles Times for falling victim to a "hoax." The department expressed concern over the impact of such reporting, stating, "Lazy reporting like this is why trust in the media is at an all-time low. This type of fear mongering and demonizes our law enforcement who are now facing a nearly 700% increase in assaults against them."
The DHS's response underscores the importance of accurate reporting and the potential consequences of misinformation on public trust and law enforcement safety.
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