Family say they were blocked from visiting Ricardo Aguayo Rodriguez at hospital after Melrose Park, Illinois Border Patrol arrest
Relatives of a man who they allege was hurt while being arrested by Border Patrol agents say they were blocked from seeing him in the hospital.
The arrest happened over the weekend.
Video shows Ricardo Aguayo Rodriguez wrestling with federal agents.
His family says he suffered serious head and face injuries.
He has since been released from the hospital and remains in federal custody.
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A spokesperson for Gottleib Hospital said they were following protocol. In a statement, they said, "When law enforcement personnel come to our hospitals to seek medical care for a patient in their custody, we provide compassionate care and the patient remains in the custody of law enforcement."
A Department of Homeland Security released a statement, saying, "On November 2, U.S. Border Patrol was conducting an immigration enforcement operation in Melrose Park, Illinois, to arrest Ricardo Rodriguez, a criminal illegal alien from Mexico. His criminal history includes previous convictions for assault and battery as well as possession of a controlled substance. Agents approached Rodriguez and upon noticing the agents, he abandoned his bicycle and fled on foot. Border Patrol pursuit Rodriguez and attempted to detain him. He actively resisted and assaulted law enforcement. The agent deployed pepper spray to deescalate the situation and stop the assaults. After Rodriquez continued to violently resist and put law enforcement in danger, the agent delivered strikes as a last resort. As a precaution, Border Patrol took the suspect to a hospital for medical treatment. He will remain in custody under medical supervision pending removal proceedings. This incident is another example of the violence our brave law enforcement faces every day. Our officers are facing mass assaults, vehicles used as weapons, violence and only use physical force as a last resort when repeated warnings have been given."
The family is expected to hold a rally for Rodriguez on Monday evening.
