Video from anguished friend shows federal agents seizing Wendell woman in Cary
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Video shows Border Patrol handcuff Fatima Velasquez-Antonio and load her into van
- Federal officials have not disclose names, locations or charges in sweep
- Velasquez-Antonio, a Honduran immigrant, appeared to be at Georgia detention center
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U.S. Border Patrol in the Triangle
The U.S. Border Patrol sent agents to Raleigh, Durham, Cary and other parts of the Triangle Nov. 18 and 19 after a surge of enforcement in Charlotte. Here’s ongoing reporting from The News & Observer.
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When Border Patrol agents seized Wendell resident Fatima Issela Velasquez-Antonio at a Triangle construction site Tuesday, they handcuffed her before loading her into a van with other workers.
A video taken by a co-worker at the construction site shows federal agents asking Velasquez-Antonio, 23, in Spanish if she has identification. She tells them that it is at her home.
“Right now she doesn’t have documentation; she’s going to have to come with us,” an agent says in English.
“Ay, Fatima, (Oh Fatima)” says Ana Santos, the co-worker documenting her being taken, with her voice filled with concern.
Velasquez-Antonio asks that her co-worker let her boyfriend know that she has been taken by the authorities. The video ends with a Border Patrol agent saying in Spanish that Velasquez-Antonio will be allowed a phone call and will go before a judge.
Federal agents have released no names, locations or any charges leveled against those taken into custody in the Triangle. On Thursday, a U.S. Border Patrol emailed statement said roughly 370 people have been arrested in the Charlotte area since the surge began there on Saturday.
U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis, a Huntersville Republican, said at a Senate hearing Thursday that he wants the “definitive list of people who were detained, how long they were detained, whether or not they were released and, when property was damaged, whether or not they’ve been provided proper restitution.”
The News & Observer was able to confirm that Velasquez-Antonio was in federal custody Wednesday only because a New Hanover County sheriff’s department member confirmed that she was one of nine people federal agents brought to the county jail there to be held one night.
A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s detainee locator on Thursday indicates Velasquez-Antonio was since moved and was held at the Stewart Detention Center in Lumpkin, a small town near Columbus, Ga.
From Honduras to Wendell
Velasquez-Antonio came to the United States from Honduras when she was 14 after her father was killed by a gang, said a family member who asked not to be identified. Her mother had previously died from cancer.
She settled in the Triangle and graduated from Corinth Holder High School in Johnston County, her family member said. Since then, she has been working and recently bought a home in Wendell where she and her boyfriend were planning to start a family, the relative said.
Gene Smith, the boyfriend of the relative, said Velasquez-Antonio has been seeking asylum for years.
Federal officials have said the sweeps are helping them deport criminals. Court records show that Velasquez-Antonio has only had two traffic violations.
Santos, the 25-year-old co-worker who recorded Velasquez-Antonio being detained, is also from Honduras and is a permanent resident, she said. Both women had been working for Air System Services in Knightdale for about 18 months, Santos said.
A person answering the phone there referred all questions to the owner, who could not be reached.
Santos said in an interview that the agents came to the construction site in Cary at about 1:30 p.m. during the lunch break.
Velasquez-Antonio did not want to return to Honduras, Santos said, because she believes all of her family is in the United States.
Smith of Wilson said Velasquez-Antonio’s family plans to hire a lawyer to try to help her stay.
The video taken by Santos also shows another person being taken by federal agents. Santos said two other employees from the company were also detained that day at the work site.
Staff writer Danielle Battaglia contributed to this report.
This story was originally published November 20, 2025 at 3:11 PM with the headline "Video from anguished friend shows federal agents seizing Wendell woman in Cary."
