Two separate but strikingly similar stories unfolded on either side of the Atlantic this week, both centering on the fraught politics of immigration and the treatment of migrants by government authorities. In New York City, a viral video captured a shocking act of violence by a federal immigration agent against an Ecuadorian woman seeking asylum. Meanwhile, in Germany, the government announced controversial plans to negotiate directly with Afghanistan's Taliban authorities to facilitate the deportation of Afghan nationals, including convicted criminals, a move that has ignited fierce debate among lawmakers and human rights advocates.
On September 29, 2025, Monica Elizabeth Moreta-Galarza, an Ecuadorian woman living in New York, broke her silence after being violently thrown to the ground by a federal immigration agent inside 26 Federal Plaza in Lower Manhattan. The incident, caught on camera and widely circulated on social media, unfolded during an immigration hearing as agents detained her husband in front of their children. The distressing footage shows Moreta-Galarza tearfully pleading with officers, only to be pushed against a wall, told “adios,” and shoved to the floor by a plainclothes agent—despite not physically confronting the officers, according to CBS News.
Moreta-Galarza recounted to CBS News that the agent had been aggressive even before the incident escalated. “He pushed me inside and he told me to calm down, to shut up, shut up and because my kids were crying, he told them to shut up and he closed the door,” she said. She described being left in shock after the encounter, adding that her family is in the midst of seeking asylum and has been granted another court hearing. She also made a direct appeal to former President Donald Trump, asking him to “please have compassion for us.”
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) responded swiftly to the public outcry, suspending the agent involved while an investigation is underway. DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told Newsweek in a statement: “The officer’s conduct in this video is unacceptable and beneath the men and women of ICE. Our ICE law enforcement are held to the highest professional standards and this officer is being relieved of current duties as we conduct a full investigation.”
The incident has reignited concerns about the conduct of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents as they carry out policies shaped by former President Trump’s mass deportation agenda. The family’s attorney, Lina Stillman, emphasized the broader implications for migrant communities, telling CBS News, “That the same thing will happen to them, that violence will be used against them.”
Political leaders have also weighed in, calling for accountability and reform. New York House Democrat Dan Goldman wrote on X (formerly Twitter): “Glad to see Secretary Noem heed the calls I made yesterday for DHS to take disciplinary action against this agent after the outrageous assault against Monica and her children. The Secretary must take action to prevent something like this from happening again by DHS, here in NYC or anywhere in America.”
As the investigation proceeds, Moreta-Galarza’s family continues to fight for the release of her husband, who remains in detention. No formal criminal charges have been disclosed against the agent, and whether he will face prosecution or be permanently removed from duty remains uncertain. The case has become a flashpoint in the ongoing debate over how the U.S. treats migrants and enforces immigration laws, raising questions about the balance between security and human rights in a system already under immense strain.
Across the Atlantic, Germany is grappling with its own immigration controversy. On September 28, 2025, German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt announced that the government would begin direct talks with Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities to enable regular deportations of Afghan nationals deemed criminals or security risks. Dobrindt told the Sunday edition of Bild newspaper, “Deportations to Afghanistan must be able to take place regularly. That is why we are now negotiating directly in Kabul, so criminals and security risks can be deported consistently in the future.”
Officials from Germany’s Interior Ministry are scheduled to travel to Kabul in October to negotiate face-to-face with Taliban representatives, a ministry spokesman confirmed to the newspaper. Until now, discussions had taken place at a “technical level” without specifying direct contact with the Taliban, who have been internationally isolated since seizing power in August 2021, largely due to their human rights record, particularly regarding women.
Since the Taliban’s return, Germany has deported groups of Afghan nationals twice, with logistical assistance from Qatar. In August 2024, 28 convicted criminals were sent to Kabul under the previous Afghan government. More recently, in July 2025, 81 men with criminal records—including homicide, sexual offences, violence, and drug crimes—were deported, according to German authorities.
The move to negotiate directly with the Taliban has drawn sharp criticism from opposition parties and human rights advocates. Marcel Emmerich, domestic policy spokesman for the Green Party, told dpa, “By reaching an agreement with the Taliban, Dobrindt is making himself dependent on an Islamist organisation and upgrading its status.” He called the talks a “slap in the face for all those who have fought for democracy against the Taliban for years.” Clara Bünger, deputy leader of the Left Party in the Bundestag, was even more direct, telling the Rheinische Post, “Anyone who negotiates with the Taliban legitimises and trivializes terrorists. The talks aim to prepare for large-scale deportations to a country where torture, public executions and floggings are the order of the day. Anyone who makes such deals is complicit.”
Supporters of the plan, however, argue that deporting criminals is essential for maintaining public trust in Germany’s asylum system. Alexander Throm, an interior specialist for the conservative bloc, told the Rheinische Post, “Refugees who commit crimes here must leave the country after serving their prison sentences. This also applies to people from Syria and Afghanistan. Only in this way can the acceptance of our asylum system continue to be protected.”
The German government’s approach underscores the complex trade-offs facing countries grappling with migration, security, and human rights. The lack of official diplomatic relations with the Taliban adds another layer of controversy, with critics warning that such negotiations risk legitimizing a regime widely condemned for its abuses.
Both the New York and German cases reveal the difficult balancing act that democracies face as they try to enforce immigration laws while upholding the rights and dignity of individuals. Whether in a U.S. federal building or at the negotiating table in Kabul, the actions of government agents and officials have far-reaching consequences—not just for the individuals directly involved, but for the broader principles of justice, accountability, and humanity that underpin democratic societies.
As investigations and negotiations continue, families like Moreta-Galarza’s and the deportees in Germany remain caught in the crosshairs of policies shaped by fear, security concerns, and political calculation. Their stories serve as a sobering reminder that the debate over immigration is, at its core, a debate about who we are and what kind of society we want to be.
