A Venezuelan national in the U.S. illegally was forcefully apprehended by federal immigration agents at a courthouse in Nashua, New Hampshire, —a move that underscores the Trump administration’s firm stance on enforcing immigration law and closing loopholes that have long allowed unlawful migrants to evade accountability.
Arnuel Marquez Colmenarez, 33, was arrested by federal agents on February 20 as he arrived at the Nashua Circuit Court for an arraignment related to a Feb. 9 arrest for driving under the influence, driving without a license, and fleeing the scene of an accident. Surveillance footage captured agents taking swift action to detain Marquez Colmenarez, who reportedly resisted arrest. In the process, an elderly bystander was inadvertently knocked to the ground—a regrettable but unintended consequence in a high-pressure enforcement scenario.
According to Officer Jared Neff, who was present during the incident, agents attempted to apprehend the suspect discreetly in an elevator, but Marquez Colmenarez resisted and fled, prompting the physical takedown. Neff noted the suspect continued to struggle while agents tried to handcuff him.
Following the arrest in New Hampshire, a bench warrant was issued after Marquez Colmenarez failed to appear for his arraignment. He is now being held at a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility in Texas.
This incident reflects a broader return to law and order under President Donald Trump, who reinstated a common-sense policy permitting ICE to operate in and around courthouses. The Biden-era policy, which sought to shield certain locations like courthouses and schools from immigration enforcement, had made it easier for criminal aliens to avoid capture.
The Trump administration’s updated enforcement guidelines allow for arrests in courthouses when credible intelligence suggests the presence of an illegal immigrant—an essential step to ensure that those who break the law are not allowed to slip through the cracks of the justice system simply because of where they choose to hide.
