BROOKLYN, New York — US Representative Yvette D. Clarke has called for a full investigation into allegations that federal immigration agents posed as New York City Police Department (NYPD) officers to gain entry to a Brooklyn home and detain a Haitian immigrant.
Clarke, who represents New York’s 9th Congressional District, described the allegations as deeply alarming and said she would work with NYPD leadership and local elected officials to seek answers and accountability.
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“The allegation that federal immigration agents posed as NYPD officers to gain entry into the home of our neighbor, Mr. Roberto Lamour, is deeply alarming and warrants a full investigation,” Clarke said in a statement issued on October 26.
Lamour, a Haitian father of a three-year-old girl, was detained by federal immigration agents at his Flatbush home on October 3. According to residents and family members, the agents identified themselves as NYPD officers to gain access to the apartment building and then entered Lamour’s home.
A resident told reporters that the agents said they were looking for an individual and demanded entry. Lamour’s wife, Darchnee, initially believed her husband had been arrested by the NYPD and went to a local precinct seeking information. She later learned that he was not in police custody.
The NYPD has denied involvement in the incident. In a statement to amNewYork, the department said it “had no knowledge of or involvement in the incident in question.”
Following his arrest, Lamour was initially held at Delaney Hall in New Jersey before being transferred to an immigration detention facility in Mississippi, according to media reports.
Clarke said the case raised concerns about the treatment of immigrant communities and the separation of families. She called for Lamour’s immediate release and return to his Brooklyn home, while pledging to coordinate with local officials to prevent similar incidents.
“Our immigrant communities deserve dignity, transparency, and due process, not to be terrorized in their own homes,” Clarke said.
The case has also drawn attention from New York City Public Advocate Jumaane Williams and other elected officials and residents, who have called for Lamour’s release and greater accountability in immigration enforcement.
The allegations come amid heightened tensions over federal immigration operations in New York City and concerns about the impact of enforcement tactics on trust between immigrant communities and local police.
Clarke said she would continue working with advocates and elected officials to ensure the case receives scrutiny and that the family’s concerns are addressed.
