ICE seen at Durham County Courthouse looking for man accused in assault

Four ICE agents appeared Wednesday at the Durham County Courthouse to detain a man scheduled for his first court appearance. The agents did not arrest anyone after the man did not appear in court.
Posted 7/23/2025, 9:14:52 PM Updated 7/23/2025, 10:00:06 PM

MINOR INJURIES BUT IS EXPECTED

TO BE OKAY. POLICE HAVE NOT

RELEASED THE OFFICER'S NAME

ICE AGENTS INSIDE A LOCAL

COURTHOUSE. THE DURHAM COUNTY

SHERIFF WAS MADE AWARE WHEN

I STOWED UP AT THE COURTHOUSE.

>> A LOCAL WATCHDOG TEAM SAYS

FOR ICE AGENTS WERE THERE AND

WRAL IS LEARNING MORE ABOUT THE

MAN THEY WERE AFTER WRAL'S.

SEAN GALLAGHER IS OUTSIDE THE

COURTHOUSE IN. SEAN, WHAT HAVE

YOU LEARNED?

>> YEAH, ASHLEIGH, OUR SOURCES

TELL US ARE ACTUALLY CONFIRMED

THE NAME OF THE PERSON ICE

AGENTS WERE AFTER THAT MAN

ARRIVED HERE AT THE DURHAM CARE

OR DID NOT ARRIVE HERE AT THE

DURHAM COUNTY COURTHOUSE TODAY

FOR HIS FIRST APPEARANCE FOR

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ASSAULT

CHARGE.

>> LOCAL ADVOCATES CAME

TOGETHER TO SHARE THEIR

CONCERNS ABOUT ICE BEING IN

DURHAM TODAY FOR AGENTS IN

PLAIN CLOTHES. THIS IS A DIRECT

THREAT.

>> TO THE SAFETY AND DIGNITY OF

OUR COMMUNITIES COURTHOUSE IS

SHOULD BE A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE

CAN SEE JUSTICE, NOT WHERE

THEY'RE HUNTED DOWN BY FEDERAL

AGENTS. WE'VE LEARNED THAT MAN

NEVER SHOWED UP FOR HIS INITIAL

HEARING WHERE HE'S ACCUSED OF

STRIKING HIS EX-GIRLFRIEND IN

THE HEAD IN MARCH. OUR SOURCE

TELLS US ICE AGENTS SAY THE MAN

HAD BEEN DEPORTED IN THE PAST

AFTER FACING A FELONY CHARGE.

HOW DO YOU RESPOND KNOWING THAT

THE PERSON WE BELIEVE THIS IS

IS ACCUSED OF THAT CRIME?

EVERYONE DESERVES TO GET

JUSTICE HERE AT THE COURT.

EVERYONE. THAT'S WHAT STATE

MUNICIPAL LAWS ALL SAYING.

THAT'S WHAT SHOULD HAPPEN.

I REACHED OUT TO ICE TO CONFIRM

THE NAME OF THAT PERSON AND WE

WANT TO KNOW WHY THEY'RE

SEARCHING FOR HIM HERE. IF THEY

NOTIFIED LOCAL AGENCIES BEFORE

THEIR ARRIVAL AND IF THEY ARE

REQUIRED TO IDENTIFY THEMSELVES

TO SECURITY HERE. AND I

SPOKESPERSON TELLS ME THEY WILL

CONFIRM ANY NAMES SAYING IN

PART, WE DON'T TALK ABOUT

PEOPLE NOT IN OUR CUSTODY, NOR

DO WE TALK ABOUT CURRENT OR

PENDING OPERATIONS FOR

OPERATIONAL SECURITY PURPOSES.

>> NOW, THE GROUP THAT SPOKE

OUT HERE TODAY TELLS ME THEY

BELIEVE ICE WILL BE BACK HERE

AT THE DURHAM COUNTY

COURTHOUSE. AGAIN TOMORROW.

AND THEY PLAN TO HAVE PEOPLE