ICE agents shatter window, leave 1-month-old baby, mother in car after Portland arrest

Video shows federal immigration agents leaving behind an infant and broken glass after detaining a Guinean immigrant with no known criminal history.

Jan. 28, 2026 at 5:39pm

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Hassane Barry, a 38-year-old asylum seeker from Guinea, was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Portland earlier this week. Agents shattered his driver's side window, leaving his wife Nene and their 1-month-old baby alone in the car. Nene Barry was left alone with the infant, unable to drive, as the agents quickly left the scene. The incident was captured on video by bystanders and has raised concerns about ICE's tactics and treatment of immigrant families.

Why it matters

This incident highlights concerns about ICE's aggressive enforcement tactics, especially when children are involved. The Barrys are asylum seekers with no known criminal history, raising questions about whether the arrest was warranted and the agents' decision to leave the family stranded. The case also reflects broader tensions around immigration enforcement in Maine and the impact on immigrant communities.

The details

According to the report, Hassane Barry and his wife Nene were driving home from an appointment to get their 1-month-old baby a passport when they were suddenly boxed in by four unmarked police cars. Armed federal agents arrested Hassane, shattering the driver's side window and spraying glass over the baby's car seat. Nene Barry, who does not have a driver's license and speaks little English, was left alone inside the car with her infant. Bystanders who witnessed the incident quickly jumped in to help, with one person describing carefully picking up the crying baby from the broken glass.

  • The arrest took place on January 21, 2026.
  • The incident occurred in the first days of what U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has dubbed 'Operation Catch of the Day' — an intensified immigration enforcement surge in Maine.

The players

Hassane Barry

A 38-year-old asylum seeker from Guinea who was arrested by ICE agents in Portland. He has no known criminal history.

Nene Barry

Hassane Barry's wife, who was left alone in the car with their 1-month-old baby after the arrest.

Robin Nice

Hassane Barry's attorney, who stated that Barry has lived in the U.S. since 2023 and filed a request for asylum shortly after arriving.

Marticia Douglas

A woman who began tutoring Hassane Barry on English and other subjects in late 2024, describing him as hardworking and eager to learn.

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What they’re saying

“There's a baby in the car. There's a baby.”

— Hassane Barry

“He did everything for us, and now he's not here. What am I going to do alone with a 1-month-old baby in the cold?”

— Nene Barry

“If anything is illegal, it's taking him. They stopped him only because they saw an African couple. That's the only basis they had.”

— Marticia Douglas

“At night, we cannot sleep. The baby cries. I cry.”

— Nene Barry

“All I worry about is you. I left you alone without anyone, and you just gave birth. You haven't even recovered.”

— Hassane Barry

What’s next

Hassane Barry remains detained at the Plymouth County Correctional Facility in Massachusetts, and his wife Nene is too scared to leave their apartment out of fear of also being detained by ICE.

The takeaway

This incident raises serious concerns about ICE's aggressive tactics and treatment of immigrant families, especially when children are involved. The Barrys are asylum seekers with no known criminal history, and the decision to arrest the father and leave the mother and infant alone in a freezing car has sparked outrage and calls for greater oversight of immigration enforcement practices.