Massachusetts Democrat City Councilor Etel Haxhiaj found herself at the center of controversy after dramatic police bodycam footage captured her physically interfering with federal immigration agents. The May 8 incident in Worcester has sparked calls for an ethics investigation and raised questions about elected officials obstructing law enforcement operations.
According to the Daily Mail, Haxhiaj grabbed ICE officers and shouted at them to "get out of our neighborhood" while they attempted to arrest Rosane Ferreira de Oliveira, a 40-year-old Brazilian national who entered the US illegally in August 2022. De Oliveira faces accusations of assaulting her pregnant 16-year-old daughter.
Worcester police described the scene as chaotic, with approximately 25 "unruly" activists confronting federal agents. Authorities stated that Haxhiaj "incited aggression towards the police" and "eventually assaulted both Worcester police and federal law enforcement officers on scene." Massachusetts US Attorney Leah Foley warned that her office will investigate anyone who interferes with ICE operations, including elected officials.
Bodycam footage reveals confrontation
Police bodycam footage shows Haxhiaj putting her finger in an officer's face before turning to the detained teenager and screaming commands. The councilwoman was seen shoving an ICE officer's arm while attempting to reach the girl, who was pressed against a car hood surrounded by officers. Multiple bystanders filmed the encounter while also shouting at law enforcement.
During one particularly heated exchange, Haxhiaj argued with officers on the sidewalk, pleading for the teenager's release. She repeatedly referred to the minor as her "constituent" and claimed the girl was being hurt. When officers warned her to back away, Haxhiaj continued her interference, prompting one officer to address her by title and demand she remove her hands from law enforcement personnel.
The Worcester Police Patrolman's Union noted that Haxhiaj's "behavior also emboldened others to act in this manner." The incident escalated when the teenager ran after the vehicle containing her mother and kicked its passenger side after first handing off her sister's infant child to another person. Both the mother and daughter were subsequently arrested.
Family claims persecution
The arrest stemmed from events the previous day when Augusta Clara, the older sister of the arrested teenager, reported that ICE agents had detained her partner and the father of her three-month-old son.
Clara shared details of the ordeal on a GoFundMe page, describing how officers demanded she return her partner's car and report to sign immigration paperwork. She claims she was then arrested herself, prompting her to call their mother for help.
Clara alleges that when de Oliveira arrived to care for the baby, ICE agents attempted to arrest her as well. She describes the scene as violent, claiming agents "pinned my sister to the ground" and "even tried to take my baby from me." According to Clara's account, only the intervention of neighbors who recorded and protested the arrests prevented agents from taking her infant son.
Investigation and political fallout
Following the dramatic confrontation, Haxhiaj defended her actions during a press conference, calling the response from the federal government and police "completely unacceptable." She positioned herself as protecting a traumatized constituent while criticizing law enforcement tactics. Officials have since called for an ethics investigation into her conduct during the incident.
US Attorney Leah Foley issued a stern warning about the public safety risks posed by such interference. She emphasized that conduct like Haxhiaj's "should be vilified rather than glorified," highlighting the dangers to both officers and civilians when law enforcement operations are obstructed. The Worcester Police Department confirmed that their investigation into the incident remains ongoing.
De Oliveira, whom authorities describe as a "violent criminal illegal alien," faces charges including endangerment of a child, disturbing the peace, disorderly conduct, and resisting arrest. Her teenage daughter was charged with reckless endangerment of a child, disturbing the peace, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest, though she was later released from custody. The case has highlighted tensions between local officials and federal immigration enforcement in sanctuary jurisdictions.
Federal warning over obstruction
Massachusetts US Attorney Leah Foley's office has made clear that interference with ICE operations will face serious scrutiny, regardless of an individual's elected status. The warning comes as the incident raises broader questions about the role of local officials in federal immigration enforcement and the boundaries of political activism versus obstruction of justice.
Haxhiaj's actions on May 8 represent a flashpoint in ongoing debates over immigration enforcement, particularly in jurisdictions where local officials oppose federal immigration policies.
The bodycam footage provides clear documentation of an elected official physically interfering with law enforcement operations, potentially setting legal precedents for how such cases are prosecuted moving forward.
