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Who is Jacelynn Guzman? US-born mom recalls being chased by masked ICE agents in Louisiana, ‘I blasted off’
A surveillance video in Marrero, Louisiana, shows masked federal agents pursuing a 23-year-old US-born woman, Jacelynn Guzman, during an immigration sweep.
A home-surveillance clip from Marrero, Louisiana, has sparked outrage after showing masked federal agents pursuing a young mother up her driveway during an immigration enforcement sweep. The encounter unfolded amid the Trump administration ramping up controversial deportation operations across New Orleans and Minneapolis.
As reported by The Mirror US, the footage captured 23-year-old Jacelynn Guzman walking home from a corner store when an unmarked silver SUV pulled alongside her and two masked agents stepped out. Believing the vehicle might be an Uber, Guzman panicked and sprinted toward her house as her family’s security cameras recorded agents briefly giving chase before stopping at the property line.
The Department of Homeland Security later said Border Patrol was searching for a different individual, a noncitizen with past theft charges, and that Guzman had matched the description.
No arrests were made.
Who is Jacelynn Guzman?
Guzman, a 22-year-old US-born citizen from Marrero, became a focus of attention after a video of the incident went viral. She told NBC News and The Guardian that she was terrified when masked men in tactical gear approached her, fearing she might be kidnapped.
Also Read: Records reviewed by AP detail online monitoring, arrests in New Orleans immigration crackdown
She recalled hearing an agent tell her, “Wait, don’t run, Ma’am,” but instinct took over. “I just kept repeating, ‘I’m a US-born citizen. I was born and raised here,’” she said. Her priority, she added, was getting home to her baby: “I blasted off.”
Security footage shared by her mother, Ramona Anglin, shows Guzman shouting “Leave me alone!” as she ran toward her door. Inside, her stepfather can be heard telling agents to leave the property before they ultimately drove off.
Speaking to The Guardian, Guzman said she believes she was targeted because of her appearance. “I’m brown,” she said, describing the experience as “devastating” and leaving her fearful for her family.
Read More: Zohran Mamdani urges immigrants to keep doors closed, ‘stand up’ to ICE in new message
A DHS spokesperson told The Guardian that agents identified themselves, pursued her only until reaching the property boundary, and left once they realized she was not the person they were seeking. The wanted individual faced non-violent charges under Louisiana law but was deemed a “public safety threat” by DHS.
The incident comes amid a broader federal push that has already resulted in dozens of arrests across the New Orleans area.
