Virginia LULAC Calls for Accountability and a Full Investigation in Aggression Towards Jose Mejia

Virginia LULAC is horrified and deeply disturbed by reports concerning the treatment of José Mejía during an encounter with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and by the serious questions surrounding his ability to receive necessary medical care afterward.

On August 11, Mejía Hernandez was walking to work in Arlington when, according to his account, he was approached by two individuals whom he did not initially know were federal immigration agents. Mejía Hernandez says he attempted to run and was pursued before an encounter that left him seriously injured and resulted in his hospitalization. Video obtained by his attorneys begins after he was already in federal custody and shows Mejía Hernandez on the ground with a visibly bloody and bruised face. Later in the video, he appears unsteady while agents help him to his feet. Mejía Hernandez says he suffered a brain injury and does not remember exactly what happened during part of the encounter, recalling that he later awoke in the hospital. ICE disputes portions of his account and maintains that Mejía Hernandez attempted to evade arrest and that agents used what the agency describes as "necessary force" to take him into custody.

Mejía Hernandez and his attorneys subsequently filed a report with the Arlington County Police Department requesting a criminal investigation. Arlington police have now confirmed that an investigation is underway. According to reporting, the police report alleges possible violations of Virginia law involving aggravated malicious wounding, malicious wounding, assault and battery, reckless driving, and failure of a driver involved in an accident to stop. These allegations have not been proven, and the investigation must now determine what occurred and whether any criminal conduct took place.

No immigration enforcement objective should come before a person's immediate medical needs. If a physician determines that diagnostic testing is necessary to determine whether someone has suffered a potentially serious head injury, the government should facilitate that care, not create additional barriers to receiving it. Human dignity and access to necessary medical treatment do not depend on a person's immigration status.

Virginia LULAC is increasingly alarmed by reports of aggressive immigration enforcement actions across our region and throughout the country. Each allegation of excessive force, denial of medical care, or abuse of authority must be taken seriously and independently investigated. A government entrusted with enormous enforcement powers must also be subject to meaningful oversight and accountability.

The United States promises life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Those principles cannot simply be words we celebrate when convenient. They must guide how our government treats every human being within our borders, including immigrants and those facing immigration proceedings. We cannot accept a system in which people become afraid that an encounter with federal authorities could leave them seriously injured or unable to obtain medical care.

“This country was founded on the promise of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Those words are more than an aspiration. They are a responsibility we inherit and a promise we must continually work to fulfill. At moments like this, we must ask ourselves what kind of nation we want to be. We cannot abandon our moral responsibility to protect human dignity, nor can we abandon America’s historic aspiration to be a nation where liberty, justice, and the rule of law mean something for every person. What happened to José Mejía Hernandez demands answers, and we welcome the investigation now underway. No government official should be beyond accountability. Virginia LULAC believes that defending the dignity and rights of the most vulnerable among us does not weaken America. It is how we live up to its highest ideals. We owe that commitment to José, to his family, to our communities, and to the generations who will inherit the country we leave behind.”

— Virginia LULAC

Virginia LULAC welcomes the Arlington County Police Department's decision to open a criminal investigation into the circumstances surrounding the serious injuries suffered by José Mejía Hernandez. When allegations arise that conduct occurring within Arlington County may constitute violations of Virginia criminal law, local authorities have a responsibility to investigate those allegations fully and impartially, including when the individuals whose conduct is being investigated are federal officers. Federal authority should not place anyone beyond legitimate investigation or accountability under the law. We therefore support Arlington County exercising its responsibility to determine what occurred in its community and call for a full, impartial, and transparent investigation into the force used during the encounter, how Mejía Hernandez sustained his injuries, the circumstances surrounding his electronic monitoring, and whether that monitoring interfered with his ability to receive medically necessary diagnostic care. No government official, whether local, state, or federal, should be above the law.

We thank U.S. Senators Tim Kaine and Mark Warner and U.S. Representatives Don Beyer, Suhas Subramanyam, and James Walkinshaw for publicly supporting the Arlington County investigation, continuing to seek answers about what happened to Mejía Hernandez, and calling for accountability if misconduct is established. We also thank Arlington County Commonwealth’s Attorney Parisa Dehghani-Tafti for her early leadership in calling for an immediate and thorough investigation, reaching out to the Arlington County Police Department and the Virginia Attorney General’s Office, and making clear that no individual or government official is above the law.

Virginia LULAC appreciates the local, state, and federal officials who have taken these allegations seriously and helped bring greater attention and scrutiny to this case. We now urge all relevant federal agencies to cooperate fully with Arlington investigators and provide the evidence necessary to establish exactly what happened. José Mejía Hernandez, his family, and the Arlington community deserve answers. If the investigation establishes that laws, policies, or constitutional protections were violated, those responsible must be held accountable.

Our elected officials have a responsibility to represent and protect everyone who lives in their communities, including those who can vote and those who cannot. Public service means standing up when the rights, safety, and dignity of the people you represent are threatened.

Virginia LULAC will continue to speak out against abuses of authority and will continue demanding transparency, oversight, and accountability from those entrusted with enforcing our nation's laws.

At the same time, we recognize that while investigations move forward, José Mejía Hernandez and his family are facing immediate and very real needs. José was a primary provider for his family, and the injuries he sustained and the circumstances following this incident have created significant financial hardship. His family needs support with basic necessities, including housing, food, medical expenses, and other costs as they navigate this extraordinarily difficult period.

Members of the community have established a GoFundMe to help José and his family during this time. Virginia LULAC encourages those who are able and wish to help to consider supporting the fundraiser. Every contribution, regardless of size, can help provide stability for a family facing circumstances no family should have to navigate alone.

This is unacceptable. We demand answers. We demand a thorough and transparent investigation. And where wrongdoing is found, we demand accountability.

For those who wish to support José Mejía Hernandez and his family, the community fundraiser can be found below.

Gofundme from Jose's Daughter: https://www.gofundme.com/f/ayuda-a-jose-mejia

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About Virginia LULAC

Virginia LULAC is the state chapter of the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), the nation’s oldest and largest Latino civil rights advocacy organization. Our mission is to advance the economic condition, educational attainment, political influence, health, housing, and civil rights of Hispanic Americans in the Commonwealth of Virginia and beyond.

Contact:

virginialulacofficial@gmail.com | valulac.org