A dramatic scene at a New Hampshire courthouse was captured on camera, showing federal immigration agents apprehending a fleeing illegal immigrant just outside the courtroom. Newly released security footage shows 33-year-old Arnuel Marquez Colmenarez being tackled by ICE officers as he attempted to escape during his arraignment. The Venezuelan national was scheduled to face charges including drunk driving, driving without a license, and leaving the scene of an accident without providing information.
The video shows Colmenarez sprinting down a courthouse hallway as ICE agents give chase, ultimately tackling him to the ground. During the commotion, an elderly man nearby appears visibly startled and stumbles amid the chaos. It remains unclear whether he was injured in the incident. Colmenarez, who is reportedly in the U.S. illegally, was taken into federal custody immediately after the incident. ICE has confirmed that he was transferred to a detention facility in Texas, where he is currently being held pending further immigration proceedings, per News9.
NEW: Security footage shows ICE agents tackling a Venezuelan man in a New Hampshire courthouse after he tried fleeing.
I hope the elderly man is ok.
33-year-old Arnuel Marquez Colmenarez was taken to the ground by federal agents.
Colmenarez had been charged with… pic.twitter.com/y6da67wZ4G
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) April 15, 2025
She noted that the men involved, dressed in plain clothes, were shouting at the individual on the ground. “The only thing we really heard was the men in plain clothing yelling at the man on the floor that he shouldn’t have run – ‘Why was he running?’ – and to stay right there,” the witness said. Later, an ICE spokesperson responded to a Reuters inquiry with a broad statement, saying the agency is “focusing all its law enforcement personnel on mitigating public safety threats and preserving the integrity of our immigration laws.”
According to the Boston Globe, Colmenarez arrived at a courthouse in Nashua, New Hampshire, on February 20 to be arraigned on misdemeanor charges. Shortly after he arrived, two men identifying themselves as federal agents approached him. When Colmenarez tried to flee, they tackled him, as reported by the Globe. New Hampshire Public Radio reported that the charges stemmed from an earlier arrest related to driving under the influence.
