Man Suffers Seizure While Holding Child As ICE Agents Detain His Wife In Fitchburg, Massachusetts

A tense scene erupted in Fitchburg Thursday morning when federal immigration agents detained a woman during a traffic stop—an encounter that escalated as her husband appeared to suffer a seizure while holding their child.
Bystanders recorded the incident, pleading for the man’s safety as Fitchburg police ordered them to “back up.” One witness exclaimed, “They’re trying to rip the baby out of her hands!” The video quickly spread online, sparking outrage.
Tricia McLaughlin, assistant secretary at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, defended the operation as a “targeted” ICE arrest, claiming emergency responders found “no legitimate medical episode.” She said the man refused treatment after ICE called 911.
McLaughlin identified the woman as **Juliana Milena Ojeda-Montoya**, an Ecuadorian national with a “violent criminal history.” She was previously arrested in August for allegedly stabbing a coworker with scissors and throwing a trash bin during an altercation.
McLaughlin alleged Ojeda-Montoya “threw her child into her husband’s arms” as ICE agents moved in, and that the husband—who appeared to have a seizure—“showed no distress moments later.” She also said “agitators attempted to interfere with the arrest.”
The **Fitchburg Police Department** said ICE requested help around 7:10 a.m. near Kimball Street. Officers determined the agents were not in danger, explaining their role was to “maintain public order,” not enforce immigration law.
An hour later, ICE again sought help, reporting a hostile crowd. Police confirmed tensions had risen, briefly closed part of Kimball Street, and restored order.
Ojeda-Montoya was taken into ICE custody before 9 a.m., while her husband and child were allowed to leave. Fitchburg police referred all further inquiries to ICE, which did not respond to requests for comment.

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