KEY POINTS:
- Barbara Stone, a 71-year-old U.S. citizen and grandmother, was handcuffed and detained for eight hours at San Diego immigration court on July 8
- ICE agents accused Stone of pushing an officer while she was observing court proceedings as a legal volunteer – an allegation she denies
- Video footage shows the incident but does not clearly capture any pushing, according to multiple news outlets
- No charges were filed against Stone, though her phone was confiscated and has not been returned
- Civil rights advocates warn the detention could intimidate legal observers and violate First Amendment protections
A 71-year-old U.S. citizen was handcuffed and detained for eight hours by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents at San Diego’s federal immigration court on Tuesday, July 8, in an incident that has raised concerns about First Amendment rights and the treatment of legal observers.
According to NBC News, Barbara Stone, a grandmother of two, had arrived at the Edward J. Schwartz Federal Building to observe and document ICE arrests as a volunteer with the advocacy group Detention Resistance. As reported by KPBS, Stone said her role is to “observe, document and film, not to interfere.”
The incident began when ICE agents were detaining a man in the courthouse hallway. According to video footage obtained by ABC 10News and other outlets, an ICE agent wearing a jacket marked “POLICE ICE” can be heard saying into a camera, “She pushed me.” Stone denied this allegation in interviews with multiple news organizations.
Video shared with NBC 7 shows tensions escalating between Stone and federal agents. As reported by KPBS, agents could be heard on camera discussing whether to file charges, with one saying “Sure, yea. At this point, we’ll get another man.”
According to her family’s account to NBC News, Stone was handcuffed and held for eight hours. Stone told NBC 7 on Wednesday that she had “a large bruise there” and felt “mentally and physically traumatized.” KPBS reported that Stone said she was denied access to an attorney during her detention and that agents compared her phone to evidence in “a drug bust.”
Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin defended the agents’ actions in a statement to ABC 10News: “Anyone who assaults or actively obstructs law enforcement in the performance of their sworn duties will face consequences which could include arrest.” McLaughlin added that “Our officers are facing a 700% increase in assaults against them as they put their lives on the line to arrest murderers, rapists, and gang members.”
However, according to data from ICE cited by KPBS, 83% of people detained by the agency are categorized as “No ICE Threat Level,” meaning they have no criminal convictions.
Stone’s attorney, Emily Howe, told KPBS in a statement: “We believe Barbara was lawfully present. As a well-respected community member, she serves as a legal observer and neutral volunteer who monitors and documents public interactions with government actors.”
Ruth Mendez of Detention Resistance told NBC News that Stone was exercising her First Amendment right to observe public proceedings. “The message that it sent was very clear: For us to be afraid to come back and do the work that we’re doing,” Mendez said.
According to the Times of San Diego, volunteers present said Stone’s phone has yet to be returned to her. The publication also reported that tensions have been escalating between ICE officers and volunteers, with officers “mocking volunteers” and telling them to “get (their) cameras ready” before making arrests.
The incident occurs amid broader ICE enforcement activities at immigration courts nationwide. As reported by inewsource in May, ICE agents have been conducting arrests outside courtrooms as people exit their hearings, a practice that immigration attorneys say discourages people from attending required court proceedings.
According to multiple sources, the Federal Protective Service, which is responsible for security at federal courthouses and falls under the Department of Homeland Security, has not responded to requests for comment about the incident.
Despite the detention, Stone told multiple news outlets she plans to continue her volunteer work. “I’m just part of a much bigger structure and organization, and whatever I can do, I want to do,” she told KPBS.
Stone’s husband, Gershon Shafir, told NBC 7: “She is a soft-spoken person who was here to protect innocent refugees, and she is the last person in the universe who would hit an agent or interfere with their work.”
