By MICHELLE GLADDEN A quiet Wednesday morning turned into a scene of shock and outrage when Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents detained Michelle Mendoza, a U.S. citizen and mother of two, at the intersection of Main Street and Bangs Avenue in Asbury Park April 15. The incident, captured on video and widely shared on Instagram, has sparked community concern and prompted statements from city officials and state legislators. The video, first posted by resident Sarah Borko, shows ICE agents detaining Mendoza in front of her two young children, ages 9 and 1. “What I saw this morning, right outside my apartment in Asbury Park, didn’t feel right,” Borko wrote. “These are not our local police force; these are ICE agents. Regardless of the circumstances, there has to be a more humane way to handle situations like this.” Mendoza’s sister-in-law, Liliana G. Hernandez, described the traumatic scene in a public plea for support. “Michelle is a U.S. citizen and a devoted mother of two young children,” Hernandez wrote. “She was taken to the ground, injured, and handcuffed in front of her children. Her kids witnessed everything and have been scared and struggling to understand what happened.” A fundraising effort for Mendoza has raised nearly $8,000 toward a $20,000 goal to cover living expenses and legal costs while her husband remains detained. City officials have emphasized that the Asbury Park Police Department played no role in the federal operation. Police Director John B. Hayes released a statement on April 17 clarifying the department’s position under New Jersey’s Immigrant Trust Directive. “Our officers were not involved in this incident and had no advance knowledge of it,” Hayes said. “The Asbury Park Police Department does not assist ICE in enforcing federal civil immigration law … The Immigrant Trust Directive exists precisely to protect the trust between our officers and every person who lives here.” Sen. Vin Gopal also condemned the incident in an April 19 social media statement. “Videos of masked ICE agents unlawfully detaining a U.S. citizen and resident of Asbury Park were recorded,” he said. “ICE’s actions of separating families and targeting U.S. citizens continue to be horrific and unacceptable. We have reached out to the Monmouth County Prosecutor and the New Jersey Attorney General to ask for their assistance in protecting our residents.” Michelle Mendoza was released after eight hours without charges, though her husband remains detained. The family and their supporters are calling for accountability as the community grapples with the incident’s impact. “This isn’t about politics,” Borko said. “It’s about humanity.”