Federal Agents Shatter Car Window to Arrest Immigrant in New Bedford

New Bedford, MA – A Guatemalan immigrant was arrested by federal agents in New Bedford on Monday after agents shattered the rear window of his vehicle. Juan Francisco Méndez, 29, was inside the car with his wife, awaiting their lawyer, when the incident occurred. According to his attorney, Ondine Gálvez, Méndez has resided in the United States for two years and, while undocumented, was actively seeking an adjustment to his immigration status. He reportedly has no criminal record in Massachusetts. Footage from the scene shows agents approaching the vehicle, and despite the occupants' requests to wait for legal counsel, an agent used a tool to break the window. Méndez's wife, visibly distressed, stated, "They didn't wait for the lawyer to be here with us and broke the window. We have the right to be here too. What they did was unfair. They took my husband without a lawyer being present." The standoff lasted approximately 30 minutes before Méndez and his wife were removed from the vehicle. Méndez was subsequently taken to an undisclosed location. The incident has sparked discussion regarding the protocols for federal arrests and the rights of individuals awaiting legal representation.