ICE Pursuit in San Antonio Raises Questions About Arrest Records

Video shows agents entering home, but local records don't match claims of prior arrests

Published on Feb. 9, 2026

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A video showing ICE agents entering a San Antonio home is raising questions about a federal operation and the criminal history that authorities claim justified it. The Department of Homeland Security says agents were searching for Gonzalo Mejia Ortega, who they say has three prior arrests for domestic assault. However, local authorities say they have no record of those arrests, and a nationwide search also did not return any criminal history for Ortega.

Why it matters

This case highlights ongoing concerns about transparency and due process in immigration enforcement operations, especially when agents are entering people's homes based on claims of criminal history that local records do not corroborate.

The details

The video shows ICE agents moving through the house and demanding to know Ortega's location. Residents say the encounter left them shaken and traumatized. DHS claims Ortega has three prior arrests for domestic assault, but the San Antonio Police Department and Bexar County District Attorney's Office say they have no record of those arrests. A nationwide search also did not return any criminal history for Ortega. The only pending case is a misdemeanor assault charge that is considered 'at-large' because the charge has been filed but Ortega has not been arrested.

  • On February 5, ICE officers were conducting a targeted operation to arrest Gonzalo Mejia Ortega.
  • In February 2025, police responded to an incident involving Ortega, but no arrest was made.
  • In August 2025, a woman reported finding a tracking device on her vehicle and told police Ortega placed it there without her consent, but no arrest was made.

The players

Gonzalo Mejia Ortega

A 34-year-old Mexican national who ICE claims has three prior arrests for domestic assault, but local authorities have no record of those arrests.

Department of Homeland Security (DHS)

The federal agency that oversees Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and claims Ortega has a criminal history justifying the pursuit.

San Antonio Police Department (SAPD)

The local law enforcement agency that says it has no record of the arrests DHS claims Ortega has.

Bexar County District Attorney's Office

The local prosecutor's office that says the only pending case against Ortega is a misdemeanor assault charge that is considered 'at-large' because he has not been arrested.

Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch

An immigration attorney who says transparency is important in these situations, especially when agents are entering people's homes.

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What they’re saying

“The reality of these situations often does not match what the administration is claiming is true about these people, and we're seeing that, not only in the anecdotes, but also in the statistics. This is a really great highlight for why due process and the Fourth Amendment of the Constitution is such an important protection for us.”

— Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch, Immigration Attorney (News 4/Fox SA)

“The guy locked himself in his room, but they went after him there too.”

— A woman who lives at the home (Univision)

What’s next

ICE is consulting with the U.S. Attorney's Office to pursue federal criminal charges against the individual who assaulted an ICE officer during the incident. The agency is also still pursuing Ortega, who escaped through a window and remains at large.

The takeaway

This case highlights the ongoing tension between immigration enforcement and due process, as well as the importance of transparency when federal agents enter private homes based on claims of criminal history that local records do not corroborate. It raises questions about the accuracy of DHS data on the criminal backgrounds of those targeted for arrest.