The ICE raid of a South Burlington home that erupted into street clashes with activists and the arrests of three immigrants began with a case of mistaken identity.

The agency admitted as much in a new court filing Tuesday, casting further doubt on the legitimacy of the controversial enforcement operation.

The March 11 raid followed what law enforcement have previously described as a short, chaotic car chase between ICE agents and a Mexican man they were seeking to apprehend. ICE claimed that the man, Deyvi Daniel Corona-Sanchez, struck an unmarked ICE vehicle and another car on Dorset Street before fleeing on foot into the home.

After obtaining a search warrant, wrenching a band of activists from the front steps and ramming through the front door, agents did not find Corona-Sanchez inside and instead detained three immigrant residents of the home.

Judges later granted release from prison to the three immigrants after concluding that their detentions were unlawful. But ICE insisted in its sole public statement last week that Corona-Sanchez was driving the Toyota Camry that agents had pursued.

Now, in a revised criminal complaint against Corona-Sanchez alleging his illegal re-entry into the United States, agent Colton Riley wrote that he no longer believed Corona-Sanchez was in the car.

Read the full story at the link in our bio. Photo by Zoe McDonald/Vermont Public.