DHS says woman attempted to weaponise vehicle; she denies the claim
An encounter between U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and a civilian in Falls Church, Virginia, has become the subject of a BBC Verify fact-check examining the conflicting accounts on each side.
Carolina Molina, the woman at the center of the dispute, told BBC Verify she was out delivering business cards in the northern Virginia city when she saw ICE agents, who then surrounded her car. The dashcam footage from the encounter, which shows an agent pointing his gun at Molina, was originally shared on Instagram by her and has drawn millions of views.
The Department of Homeland Security, the federal parent agency of ICE, stated Molina “attempted to harm officers by weaponising her vehicle.” Molina denies that allegation.
The BBC Verify fact-check report was produced by Jake Horton, with production by Tom Joyner and graphics by Mark Edwards.