ICE agents arrested handcuffed Hempstead, NY man whose head struck brick wall during arrest; agency and officials dispute cause

On January 5, 2026, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents arrested Isai Santos Caceres, 35, of Uniondale, outside Golden Farms Supermarket on Henry Street in Hempstead, New York. Video of the arrest, captured by a bystander and circulated by the civic group Islip Forward, shows Caceres already handcuffed when his head struck a brick wall during the encounter.

ICE told the New York Post that Caceres "tried to evade arrest and fled on foot," then "became physically combative, refused lawful commands, and assaulted law enforcement" as officers caught up to him. The agency said that "even after officers placed him in restraints, Caceres continued to resist and tried to kick officers in the legs," and that "during the struggle, the illegal alien fell into the side of the building." ICE said it offered Caceres medical attention afterward but that he refused it, and has not said why he was stopped or provided further details of his case.

Islip Forward disputed that account, saying agents "used [Caceres'] head as a battering ram into a brick wall." The group's Ahmad Perez, who said he has documented more than 600 ICE arrests on Long Island, said Caceres lost consciousness during the arrest, had no criminal record, and did not receive medical attention for three days; Perez said Caceres was later transferred to an ICE detention facility in Maryland. Nassau County Legislator Viviana Russel called the arrest "unacceptable," saying a handcuffed man's head being driven into a wall, "followed by bystanders being left to manage the medical response," reflected the risk of deploying "individuals with minimal training" who carry firearms into the community.

The arrest occurred in Nassau County, where County Executive Bruce Blakeman has a formal cooperation agreement with ICE. Patrick Young, who teaches immigration law at Hofstra University, said the video raised due-process and unreasonable-search-and-seizure concerns regardless of Caceres' immigration status.