DHS slams Democrat Sen Chris Van Hollen claim, says illegal alien caused crash while fleeing ICE
Key Takeaways
- DHS (Department of Homeland Security) says the man, identified as Ever Omar Alvarenga‑Rios, is a Honduran national with a final order of removal from 2018 and allegedly caused a crash while evading ICE.
- ICE (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement) officers attempted an arrest in Baltimore; DHS says the individual drove recklessly, initiated a multi‑vehicle crash, fled on foot, and two officers were hospitalized.
- Sen. Chris Van Hollen posted photos and described the man as an "asylum seeker," claiming he was struck by an ICE vehicle and denied access to attorneys; those claims are disputed by DHS.
- The incident has become a flashpoint in debates over sanctuary policies and enforcement tactics, with both public‑safety and civil‑rights implications.
What happened
DHS told Fox News that ICE agents attempted to arrest Ever Omar Alvarenga‑Rios Thursday in Baltimore and that he allegedly tried to evade arrest by driving recklessly through the city. According to DHS, the vehicle stop culminated in a multi‑vehicle crash after the driver "slammed on his brakes," and the individual then attempted to flee on foot and ignored commands; two ICE officers were injured and taken to the hospital. DHS Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis said the officers "followed their training and used the minimum amount of force necessary to make the arrest" and described the man as an "illegal alien" with a final order of removal from 2018.
Competing accounts and rights questions
It has been reported that Sen. Chris Van Hollen posted photos of the man in a hospital bed and called him an "asylum seeker," saying he suffered significant injuries and alleging ICE denied him access to attorneys and blocked a privacy release so congressional staff could inquire. DHS disputes that account. Legal terms matter here: a "final order of removal" means a judge or board has ordered an individual deported, which is different from an active asylum claim. Detainees have the right to consult private counsel in removal proceedings, but the government is not required to provide a lawyer; access issues in acute medical settings frequently become contentious and are often resolved on a case‑by‑case basis.
Why this matters now
Beyond the immediate injuries, the case feeds a broader political argument over sanctuary policies, enforcement practices, and public safety. For immigrants, an allegation of resisting arrest or causing a crash can lead to criminal charges that worsen immigration outcomes and make relief harder to obtain. For families and advocates, claims about denial of counsel or medical privacy raise civil‑rights concerns that may prompt oversight or litigation. For anyone navigating immigration processes, this episode is a reminder to document interactions, seek legal counsel promptly, and understand that enforcement can intersect with criminal and public‑safety systems in ways that materially affect removal and asylum claims.
Source: Original Article