Key Largo Woman Forcibly Removed From Car by Federal Agents Before Being Cleared as U.S. Citizen
KEY LARGO, Fla. — A woman who repeatedly shouted that she was a U.S. citizen was forcibly removed from her vehicle Wednesday by federal agents in Key Largo, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and video published by the Miami Herald.
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The incident happened near mile marker 103 along U.S. 1. Video shows multiple federal officers surrounding a gray SUV before pulling the woman from the driver’s seat as she screams, “I’m a U.S. citizen, please help me.”
CBP said the woman refused to present her driver’s license or roll down her window when stopped. Agents removed her from the vehicle, placed her in a patrol unit, and searched the SUV. Officers then located her driver’s license inside the car and confirmed she was a U.S. citizen, CBP said. She was released at the scene.
Federal agencies did not specify why the vehicle was stopped or what prompted officers to initiate the encounter. CBP also declined to outline what criteria agents use in roadside enforcement operations in the Florida Keys, which fall within the federal “border zone” where officers have expanded authority.
The video, which quickly spread on social media, comes amid heightened scrutiny of immigration-enforcement tactics across the country. Recent reporting by major outlets has documented multiple cases where U.S. citizens were detained during federal operations before having their status verified. CBP has not commented on whether additional footage or reports from the Key Largo encounter will be released.
The woman’s identity has not been made public.
Local authorities did not report injuries. The federal agencies involved have not announced any internal review of the incident.