Call 4 Action: Mistaken immigration raid? Watch Video See Photos Read Comments
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Olga Savage said ICE agents raided her home even though she's been a citizen for 40 years.
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By Jackie Diaz
Tuesday, September 30, 2008 at 8:25 a.m.

Read more: Local, Crime, U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement, ICE, Port Isabel, Cameron County, Rio Grande Valley, Call 4 Action, Action 4 News, KGBT, Call4action

Olga Savage said she went through a harrowing life-changing experience that might have been a total mistake.

The 68-year-old woman told Action 4 News that she heard a knock at her door Tuesday morning.

But before she had a chance to get up she said U.S. Immigration & Customers Enforcement (ICE) agents were inside her home.

“They came in with guns, grenades and holding their pistols,” Savage recalled.

When she asked them why they came into her home they allegedly responded, "Show us your papers."

Savage complied by showing them documentation proving that she's been a United States citizen for 40 years.

She said they were shocked to see the paperwork.

“They looked confused and said, 'They told us you didn’t have your papers',” she recalled.

After verifying her documentation, they made copies and left. 

Olga said they didn't offer an apology or help.

But the experience left her in bad shape.

Savage told Action 4 News that she had to drive herself to the local clinic since her blood pressure rose to 280.

“I told the doctor don’t let me die because I had a really bad pain,” she said.

Savage said she wants to know why federal agents kicked in her door like she was a criminal, if she's been a citizen for so many years.

“Why, why did they have to come like they were going to war, if I’m a women living on my own,” Savage asked.

Action 4 News spoke with ICE spokeswoman Nina Pruneda about the incident.

Pruneda said ICE agents would never raid someone's home and adds that the whole confusion started because Olga savage has two alien registration numbers.

One number states that she is a U.S. Citizen and the other states that she is a fugitive.

Pruneda said ICE will continue looking into this issue.

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10 Comments on this Story
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The after affect

Posted by Mary Rodrigez, mcallen - Friday, August 07, 2009 at 12:38 p.m.

It was terrible what happened but most people don’t know how traumatize this ordeal left her and how sick she has become due to the Raid that happened while she was sleeping.
She is being treated for many things now because of the fear she feels daily . She is an elderly women that is now Extremely sick because of a Mistake. ICE needs to know what they have done to this women, who is not well. She needs closure !

Another government screw up

Posted by anonymous anonymous, Harlingen - Sunday, October 12, 2008 at 12:07 p.m.

Actually "Judging what you don't know" if you read correctly, the spokeswoman for ICE admitted to the raid and could only say that the woman had 2 alien registration numbers. Another government screw up more than likely. These agents get paid money to enforce the laws but they are failing at the most basic part of that...recordkeeping. I guess someone needs to go back to TSTC and take a remedial class in recordkeeping. The AIC should be fired from his position for this boggus raid for failing to do complete research. Of course the government will probably just offer to pay her medical bill and repair the damage done to her home.

Jane Smith

Posted by Smoke T, Mission - Saturday, October 11, 2008 at 10:48 a.m.

If her name was Jane Smith, the idiot ICE teams would not have even suspected her. Another case of un-educated and mis-informed police agencies.

Judging what you do not know.

Posted by unidentified unidentified, New York, NY - Friday, October 03, 2008 at 11:59 p.m.

The story this lady told was awesome. Right out of a novela. I kept waiting to hear about the Bradley fighting vehicles outside her house. I think people would have noticed the tanks parked outside here house with the turrets facing at her ready to discharge at a moments notice. Did anyone notice the fake tears??? There is no way a group of professionally trained officers were going to enter her house. This is not Mexico, although most people would believe the contrary. The average person has no clue what goes on behind the sidelines regarding these operations. Every year, an average of 150 police officers are killed in the line of duty. What most people fail to realize is that some of these dedicated officers are killed by people that are illegaly in this country. People are victimized by illegal aliens every day and people do not talk about that. I realize American citizens victimize people as well, but we don't need to outsource from other countries for these crimes. I love my country and I am proud of what these officers do day in and day out. Am I upset, YES! We've become judge, jury, and executioners without knowing the whole story.

travesty!

Posted by Mary Hopkins, Boston - Friday, October 03, 2008 at 6:46 p.m.

This is unspeakable. If she's not safe at home neither am I, and neither are any of us.

INS never could keep its paperwork straight, and now ICE can't either. It's not the fault of the migrants, it's the dunderheaded bureacracy that can't keep its files in order. They should do their homework before they go breaking down people's doors.

I don't think paid leave is anything close to enough for whoever's responsible for this messup. This is clearly unreasonable search without a warrant. There are good reasons why the Bill of Rights applies to everyone!

Bad policies

Posted by ilana dubester, north carolina - Friday, October 03, 2008 at 12:08 p.m.

This is a travesty and a direct result of bad policies gone array. Instead of spending millions of dollars on the intimidation of immigrants, ICE and DHS should focus their efforts on putting their own paper work in order before busting into the home of an elderly woman, or anyone else for that matter. Undocumented immigrants are not to blame for this fiasco, the blame lies solely with ICE's out of control intimidation tactics and the failure of Congress to pass comprehensive immigration reform. Self-deportation is a busted strategy and it'll not work. Scapegoating and blaming immigrants for flawed laws is reprehensible and does not contribute to finding a fair and just solution to this chaos. Jim Crow and Slavery were once the law of the land - unjust laws are made to be reformed.

Que verguenza//

Posted by lalo lopez, harlingen - Thursday, October 02, 2008 at 12:19 a.m.

once again, bad news about my hometown, more Rethuglican policies spending my hard-earned tax on useless services...we need CHANGE quickly

Blame the right ones !

Posted by Bobbie McLaughlin, Myrtle Beach - Wednesday, October 01, 2008 at 7:34 p.m.

If she wants to be mad at anyone, she should be mad at the millions of Illegal Aliens that have caused this to happen to legal immigrants like her. ICE is just doing it's job, and since she wasn't arrested she should go out and promptly help them round up those that have caused this to happen to her. It's sad that in this country, legal residents are hasseled because of those here illegally. Go after the people that hire them and they will self deport, it's been proven!

re-examine our priorities

Posted by maria muentes, new york - Wednesday, October 01, 2008 at 11:43 a.m.

This is horrible, why do we need a domestic army against women, children, families and senior citizens? This reminds me of footage of raids in Iraq that I've seen. No matter what the circumstances this is just wrong. We really need to hold government accountable to not spend taxpayers money conducting these useless raids. The current human rights situation in the U.S. is an embarassment and makes a mockery of the principles we claim to stand for.

Dumb!

Posted by Old Patrol, Valley - Tuesday, September 30, 2008 at 12:04 p.m.

In the Valley There are thousands of overstays, some are corrupt Mexican Govt. Officials others jefes in drug gangs and off course stash houses with illegal aliens and these newbies raid an old ladies house. Thank G they are not Border Patrol or the Old USBP Anti-Smuggling Agents. The lead ICE(disaster) Agent should recieve a severe Reprimand and a couple of weeks off.

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