By admin 
PHOENIX (AZFamily) — A family is disputing the federal government’s account of how immigration agents detained a man outside his west Phoenix home last week, saying agents disguised themselves as electricians, never showed a warrant and never identified themselves.
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Marisol Lopez said federal agents surrounded her partner, 33-year-old Edgar Martinez, outside their home near 83rd Avenue and Lower Buckeye Road. Lopez said the interaction came after the home lost power and someone knocked on the door.
“We’re working on the house next door; we’re doing some maintenance on the electrical system here, so we have to cut off your power,” Lopez said, describing what she was told.
Lopez said the man claimed to be a utility worker and asked them to come outside to look at the breaker box. She said she immediately suspected something was wrong once they stepped outside.
“I see the doors opening; the first thing that came to mind was immigration,” Lopez said.
Video of the incident shows at least one agent in a bright orange vest pinning a man to the ground outside the front door.
ICE officials said Martinez ran, but family said agents never identified themselves.
ICE cites criminal record
An ICE spokesperson said Martinez has no lawful status, pointing to two prior misdemeanors for domestic violence. Lopez said Martinez was in the process of applying for a T visa, a status set aside for trafficking victims.
This is the second time in a week allegations have surfaced of ICE agents going undercover to detain undocumented immigrants.
Experts weigh in on tactics
Michael Gennaco, a former federal prosecutor, said undercover assignments are typically reserved for more serious cases.
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“Generally undercover assignments are for significant crimes, you know, high-level drug cartels, organized crime and other very serious and complicated criminal enterprises,” Gennaco said.
Gennaco said he questions whether ICE agents have the training for undercover work.
“I’m not sure whether the folks at ICE and Customs Enforcement have that degree of experience and training that would make them qualified to be effective undercover agents,” Gennaco said.
Gennaco also said cutting power to a home raises concerns.
“I think that’d create all kinds of issues with the home agency. Not knowing who these folks are,” Gennaco said.
Chris Clem, a retired chief patrol agent of the U.S. Border Patrol in Yuma, said the tactics are permissible under certain conditions.
“These type of tactics where they disguise and dress up and bring people in are permittable in courts as long as they don’t cross over into entrapment or independent crimes created by the officers themselves,” Clem said.
Martinez is set to return to immigration court Tuesday. Lopez said he is currently being held in a Florence jail because detention centers are at maximum capacity.
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