ICE Agent Caught on Video Ordering 'Strike to the Face' Before Punching Minnesota Father During Arrest
An ICE agent was recorded on video where he punched a person on his face
Nov. 13 2026, Published 1:23 p.m. ET
An ICE agent was caught on video ordering a "strike to the face" before punching a Minnesota father during an arrest outside his Robbinsdale home.
The footage shows the 45-year-old man clinging to a porch support post as his daughter cries and questions why federal agents are taking him away.
The November 11 arrest was recorded from multiple angles, showing two immigration agents struggling to restrain the man before pulling him away from the porch and placing him inside a vehicle.
The incident has since raised questions about the circumstances surrounding his detention, particularly after his attorney challenged the legality of the arrest.
Video Shows Punch During Arrest
The agents were trying to take a man into custody who was clinging to a post
Footage of the encounter shows two ICE agents attempting to handcuff the man as he holds onto a support post outside the home in the 3600 block of 31st Avenue North.
His daughter can be heard pleading with the agents, saying, "He's in the process of getting papers! Why are you taking him?" according to FOX 9.
As the agents attempt to restrain him, the man briefly grabs one officer's leg. WCCO reported that video captures an agent directing another officer to "strike to the face" moments before the man is punched.
The agents eventually pull him away from the post, drag him toward a vehicle and push him into the backseat.
The arrest was captured by witnesses and circulated online, prompting further attention to the circumstances surrounding the encounter.
Father Identified As Jose Ruelas Viorato
The man who was arrested has multiple traffic violations
FOX 9 identified the detained man as Jose Ruelas Viorato, 45, who was born in Mexico. He is being held at Sherburne County jail, a facility that houses ICE detainees.
Court records reviewed by FOX 9 show that Viorato has multiple traffic violations and a petty misdemeanor trespassing offense involving private property at a campground. However, the records do not show a history of violent offenses.
His family says he has been working through the immigration system to obtain legal status and has been waiting for years.
According to WCCO, his children, Chelsea Bernal and Andres Ruelas, are U.S. citizens. The family said their father has been on a waiting list since 1999, although the outlet could not independently confirm his current standing in the immigration process.
Viorato's attorney, Carrie Huxford Peltier, has also challenged the circumstances of his detention.
A habeas corpus petition filed on his behalf alleges that federal agents arrested him without a warrant. According to the filing, Viorato had returned home after purchasing groceries when agents approached him.
The petition further claims that the officers did not know his identity until they checked his driver's license. His attorney argues that they lacked sufficient grounds to believe he was unlawfully in the country.
Police Respond To 911 Call
The police received a 911 call, with someone reporting that ICE was taking her father
The Robbinsdale Police Department also addressed the incident after receiving an emergency call from the residence.
According to a department news release cited by FOX 9, someone called 911 at 7:13 a.m. on November 11 to report that ICE agents were taking her father.
A responding officer subsequently arrived in the area and reported that no law enforcement personnel were present. Police also attempted to return the initial call but received no answer.
The officer eventually spoke with a woman outside the home, who reportedly acknowledged that local officers could not intervene and said she did not know why she had called.
The officer cleared the scene less than two minutes after arriving, according to the department's account.
Robbinsdale police stressed that their officers are trained under the city's Separation Agreement, which outlines their protocols involving federal immigration enforcement. The department also said its officers had no contact with any law enforcement agency during their response.
Reaction And Investigation
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The man's family confirmed that he has no violent history
Robbinsdale City Council Member Alejandro Caceres Aranda also addressed Viorato's arrest on social media, describing him as a father, husband, and member of the local community.
In his post, Aranda said he had spent much of the day with the family as they tried to understand what had happened. He also indicated that he would share information about potential community assistance if the family requested it.
Meanwhile, Viorato's attorney is challenging the detention through a federal court petition, arguing that agents lacked the legal authority to arrest him under the circumstances described in the filing.
The Department of Homeland Security had not responded to FOX 9's request for comment at the time of its report.
