The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has refuted allegations from an Army veteran and Purple Heart recipient, who claimed he was unjustly tackled, arrested, and detained for eight hours by ICE agents in Minneapolis, during which time he was denied access to his lawyer.
William Vermie, 39, recounted an incident on January 13th, when, while standing on a sidewalk observing ICE agents apprehend someone in his Minneapolis neighborhood, he too became entangled in their operation.
Vermie shared his experience with ABC News, stating, “They read me my rights and asked if I wanted to answer questions without a lawyer, and I declined,” Vermie recalled. “They then told me, ‘You’ll have an opportunity to contact one later.'”
His wife had reached out to a lawyer during the ordeal, who also contends that Vermie was denied legal access.
The attorney told ABC News, “My client was prevented from contacting anyone while in ICE custody. If permitted, he would have immediately called his wife.” The lawyer added, “Despite having her phone close, she never received a call.”
“My client was denied the ability to contact anyone while held in ICE custody. Had he been afforded access, he would have immediately called his wife,” the attorney told ABC News. “She never got a call, despite having her phone on constantly by her side.”
DHS, however, denies the claims and says Vermie was arrested for assaulting a law enforcement officer.
FACT CHECK. This individual was arrested for assaulting a law enforcement officer—a felony and a federal crime.
All detainees have the opportunity to communicate with their family and lawyer.
These smears from the media have directly lead to a 1,347% increase in assaults on… pic.twitter.com/tRXf0sNT43
— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) January 23, 2026
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The department forcefully pushed back against the Army vet’s claims in an additional statement to ABC.
“This individual was arrested for assaulting a law enforcement officer – a felony and a federal crime,” a spokesperson said. “Our brave law enforcement are grappling with a 1,347% increase in assaults and a staggering 8,000% uptick in death threats as they put their lives on the line to arrest murderers, rapists, pedophiles, and gang members.”
You have to love the hero complex Vermie offers the outlet in his explanation of what went down. He tosses in a couple of woke keyphrases for good measure, giving the media the exact angle they need for their story.
“I have privilege. I was medically retired, I’m a combat vet, I’m white, I’m middle class. If I can’t advocate for people who need it, then who else is going to do it?” he said, fighting back tears. “Who else is going to stand up and speak truth to power?”
You’d think if law enforcement were going after people with white privilege, the left would be absolutely thrilled. Instead, it’s ‘If they can do this to the white guy, imagine what they’re doing to others.’
While Vermie’s service deserves respect, of course, it wouldn’t excuse assaulting federal officers. It wouldn’t excuse impeding a law enforcement operation. And he knows that.
In Minneapolis, ABC News interviewed Purple Heart veteran William Vermie, who says ICE detained him for hours, denied him access to his attorney, and held him at the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building.
A white man with privilege chose to speak when silence was easier. pic.twitter.com/8TVqz2mIm1
— Lesley Abravanel 🪩 (@lesleyabravanel) January 20, 2026
The video from the incident, as mentioned in the ABC News report, captured the moment of Vermie’s arrest but doesn’t show what led up to it.
“The video does show Vermie standing in the path of ICE agents, after which several of them tackle him to the snowy ground and place him in handcuffs before escorting him away,” they report.
Tucked way down in ABC’s column is the fact that Vermie, who didn’t know his wife had contacted anyone on his behalf, told a DHS agent “he didn’t have one (a lawyer).”
DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin indicates that 3,000 arrests have been made thanks to a surge in ICE officers in the Minneapolis area, of which 150 U.S. citizens have been accused of assaulting or obstructing law enforcement.
Vermie, meanwhile, says he’ll continue to protest ICE operations but admits, “I probably won’t get as close as I did.”
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