'I'm a US citizen.' Agents pull woman from car in Keys. Feds said she wouldn't show ID

Milena Malaver and David Goodhue, Miami Herald on Dec 3, 2025

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A woman in medical scrubs who was driving on U.S. 1 in the Florida Keys Wednesday morning was stopped by federal immigration agents and forcibly removed from her car, despite screaming she was an American citizen.

About 9:15 a.m. in Key Largo, in front of the Pink Plaza at mile marker 103.4, federal agents stopped the woman driving a white Toyota Corolla and surrounded the vehicle. Video recorded by a Miami Herald reporter shows an agent pulling the woman from her car. Agents with ICE, CBP and U.S Border Patrol could be seen.

She can be heard screaming as agents attempted to handcuff her.

“I’m a U.S. citizen, please help me,” she shouted after agents forced her to the ground. “This is unfair. Why are you doing this to me?”

Agents then placed her in a patrol vehicle. She was released a short time later.

Border patrols agents were staging the operation at Rowell’s Waterfront Park at mile marker 104.5 on the bayside of Key Largo. The activity spanned from about 7 a.m. to 11 a.m.

The Herald was unable to locate the woman after she drove away.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection, which is taking part in the immigration enforcement operations in the Keys, said the woman, who has not been identified, refused to hand over her driver’s license or roll down her window when she was pulled over.

“She refused to cooperate and identify herself with all levels of law enforcement there,” said agency spokesman Alan Regalado, noting Monroe County Sheriff’s Office deputies were there. A Herald reporter saw deputies moving drivers along who were slowing down to watch the stop.

After agents removed the woman from her car, they found her driver’s license in the vehicle, ran it through their system and confirmed she is a U.S. citizen, Regalado said.

He would not specify the criteria agents were using to justify pulling people over during the operation, which has been ongoing in the Key Largo area for the past few weeks.

“We can’t go into specifics about what we’re going to look for,” Regalado said.

Wednesday’s actions came after 12 people were detained in the Florida Keys last week during immigration operations. Agents have been active in the island chain ever since the Trump administration began its crackdown on undocumented immigrants.

The Upper Keys, including Key Largo, appear to be a recent area of focus.

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