Florida Woman Posed as ICE Agent to Detain Ex-Boyfriend’s Wife: Police

A Florida woman allegedly impersonated a federal immigration officer in an attempt to kidnap her ex-boyfriend’s wife.

Why It Matters

Since returning to office in January, President Donald Trump has sought to remove millions of migrants without legal status as part of his hard-line mass deportation policy.

Amid ramped-up immigration enforcement operations, there has been an increase in reports of people posing as Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.

What To Know

According to the Bay County Sheriff’s Office, on April 10, Latrance Battle showed up at a hotel in Panama City Beach where her ex-boyfriend’s wife worked. She was allegedly dressed in black, wearing an “ICE” shirt, a black hat and a white face mask.

Battle, who displayed her shirt and a card labeled “Sheriff’s Office,” told the victim to come with her, the sheriff’s office said in a Facebook post. The victim, who is pursuing U.S. citizenship, said she complied out of fear.

The victim informed her boss before getting into Battle’s vehicle, hoping to avoid an escalation of the situation. However, her suspicions grew when Battle took her phone as she tried to call her lawyer and began speaking negatively about her husband. According to court documents, Battle also warned the victim that she would “suffer the consequences” of her husband’s actions.

After driving to an apartment complex, Battle instructed the victim to follow her to a nearby unit. Noticing “a clear tackle box and other stuff” in the trunk, the victim seized the opportunity to borrow a passerby’s phone and call the police while Battle was inside the apartment.

The victim also contacted her husband, who noted that the description of the alleged agent matched that of an ex-girlfriend against whom he had a dating violence injunction.

Authorities located and detained Battle as she was fleeing to Alabama, the sheriff’s office said. She was charged with felony kidnapping, robbery by sudden snatching, impersonating a law enforcement officer during the commission of a felony and felony violation of probation.

Body camera footage released by the sheriff’s office shows an officer approaching Battle’s vehicle and instructing her to open the door. When she does not comply, the officer opens the driver’s side door and directs her to exit the vehicle with her hands behind her back. The video concludes as the officer handcuffs Battle.

Earlier this year, a jacket resembling those worn by ICE agents became a bestseller on Amazon, sparking concerns about the potential for impersonation.

If approached by someone claiming to be an ICE agent, officials recommend verifying their identity. Individuals can request official identification and confirm their legitimacy by contacting the local ICE field office. Suspicious activity should be reported to local authorities.

What People Are Saying

An ICE spokesperson told Newsweek: “U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers and agents are highly trained and dedicated professionals who are sworn to uphold the law, protect the American people and support U.S. national security interests. ICE strongly condemns the impersonation of its officers or agents. This action is not only dangerous, but illegal. Imposters can be arrested for and charged with a criminal offense both at the state and federal level (under 18 USC 912).”

The Bay County Sheriff’s Office wrote on Facebook: “Due to being in fear, the victim got in the vehicle and went willingly with Latrance. The victim confirmed that she genuinely felt as if Latrance was an ICE agent at the time and she is in the process of becoming a legal United States resident.”

What Happens Next

Battle is being held without bail.