Customs and Border Protection agent falsely arrests Key West man for filming him while detaining Haitian immigrant — both were later released from custody
Dan Mathers, of Key West, was held by federal agents for 8 hours on July 21, 2025, falsely accused of “threatening” an unidentified CBP agent — known to locals as “Bruno” — while he was detaining a Haitian man on Eaton Street.
“Accusing me of making a threat was a baseless excuse the agent used in his attempt to intimidate and silence a US citizen,” Mathews told independent journalist Gwen Filosa. “I felt it was important to use that moment to point out that this was just a man, to start to dismantle that aura of dread he had been cultivating in Key West. To have someone question that reputation in front of other witnesses, he felt the need to take me down. He was using his position as an enforcer for our government to terrorize its citizens.”
Mathers was driven an hour away to a facility in Marathon where he was held from about 4pm to midnight. His wife and friends had no idea where he was until he was allowed to make a phone call around 9:15pm.
The Key West Immigrant Support Network @kwimmigrantsupportnetwork said the Haitian man was eventually released and returned to his family.