A protest erupted outside a Brooklyn hospital on Saturday night, after Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents detained a man, leading to the arrest of nine people, according to the NYPD. The protest was in defense of a Nigerian individual, Chidozie Wilson, too, Okeke. A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) told the New York Post that Okeke was arrested for overstaying his tourist visa, which expired on Feb. 26, 2024. He was allegedly arrested previously for assault and criminal drug possession.
ICE agents dragged a man out of a hospital in New York City Saturday night … all while chaos broke out in the streets outside due to a mob of livid protesters.
🎥 https://t.co/TuBHEGVATu pic.twitter.com/NjWsN9wOgD
— TMZ (@TMZ) May 3, 2026
The DHS released a statement on X (formerly Twitter) after video footage from the protest outside the New York hospital was widely shared online. The Department said that Okeke did not comply with the federal law enforcement agency’s agents’ lawful commands to exit his vehicle and instead used his vehicle to allegedly hit the officers.
“During his arrest, Okeke refused to comply with officers’ lawful commands to exit the vehicle and weaponized his vehicle to attempt to hit ICE officers. Okeke became physically combative, attempting to punch and elbow ICE officers. Our officers followed their training and used the minimum amount of force necessary to make the arrest,” a part of the statement said.
Okeke allegedly requested medical help. ICE agents then took him to Wyckoff Heights Medical Center for an checkup. During the checkup, Okeke was non-compliant, screaming and throwing himself to the floor, the DHS claimed. The medical staff ultimately cleared Okeke, following which, the ICE agents dragged him out of the hospital.
Last night, @ICEgov conducted a targeted enforcement operation in Brooklyn that resulted in the arrest of Chidozie Wilson Okeke, a criminal illegal alien from Nigeria with previous arrests for ASSAULT AND CRIMINAL DRUG POSSESSION.
During his arrest, Okeke refused to comply with… https://t.co/9lNyrELwHA
— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) May 4, 2026
“It was very clear that he was in no fit state to leave the hospital. He needed additional medical care. Neighbors were shouting, ‘Let him go!’ And I stand by that. Let him go,” one person said, according to CBS News. In the meantime, a crowd of around 200 anti-ICE protesters gathered outside the hospital, a DHS official said. “The protesters damaged several ICE vehicles and assaulted ICE officers, resulting in minor injuries to the officers. Assaulting law enforcement is a felony and crime,” the statement read.
NYPD officials arrived at the scene shortly before 10:30 p.m., when they allegedly found that anti-ICE agitators were blocking the emergency entrances and exits of the hospital and blocking traffic. The clash between demonstrators and NYPD officials was captured on camera.
An NYPD spokesperson said police ordered the crowd to leave. Those who did not comply were arrested. The crowd remained outside the hospital around 2:30 a.m. on Sunday. Police revealed that a total of nine people were arrested, of whom eight face charges including resisting arrest, blocking governmental administration, and criminal mischief.
Meanwhile, ICE took away Okeke in an SUV. CBS News reports that, according to City Council member Sandy Nurse, the NYPD helped clear the streets for ICE agents to take Okeke away.
“This is a clear violation of our sanctuary city laws. The New York Police Department should not be collaborating with ICE. That is against our laws, so we need to have some answers from our police commissioner,” she said. However, NYPD officials maintain that they did not know about the ICE operation, nor did they coordinate with them.
