Federal immigration agents executing a predawn search warrant in northwest Oklahoma City tore through a rented family home, seized phones and cash, and ordered a mother and her three daughters into the rain-despite the warrant naming people who did not live there-triggering public outrage and renewed scrutiny of Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations involving non-suspect households.
The raid unfolded as part of a multi-agency operation involving ICE agents and other federal personnel, according to accounts provided to local station KFOR by the woman identified as Marissa. She had recently relocated from Maryland to Oklahoma with her children, seeking lower living costs and a quieter environment, while her husband remained temporarily on the East Coast.
According to the family, approximately 20 armed men forced entry into the home before daylight, when the house was dark and its occupants were asleep. Marissa said the agents initially did not clearly identify themselves, leaving her unsure whether the men entering her home were law enforcement or intruders.
Agents later stated they were acting under a search warrant, but the names listed did not match Marissa or any member of her family. The warrant, she said, appeared to reference prior occupants, whose mail continued to arrive at the address. Despite repeated explanations that the family were U.S. citizens and had only recently moved in, the search continued.
The U.S. Marshals Service later disputed claims of direct participation, stating it was aware of the operation but did not have deputies physically present or assist in the execution. ICE did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the mistaken targeting.
Marissa said she and her daughters were ordered outside before they had fully dressed, as rain fell and armed agents surrounded them. One child, she said, was left standing outside in her underwear while the search proceeded inside the home.
Inside, agents searched every room and dismantled the family's belongings while looking for evidence tied to individuals no longer residing there. According to Marissa, federal agents seized:
- Mobile phones and laptops used for communication and navigation
- Cash savings intended for household expenses and fuel
- Personal items belonging solely to the family
She said the seizures left her without money, transportation, or a way to contact relatives for help in an unfamiliar state.
When she asked how long it would take for their property to be returned, Marissa said agents told her it could take days or months. As agents prepared to leave, one officer acknowledged the incident by remarking that the morning had been "a little rough," a comment Marissa described as dismissive given the scale of the disruption.
In the immediate aftermath, Marissa said she feared her family was being robbed or that her daughters were about to be abducted. With guns drawn and no clear explanation at the outset, she said there was no way to distinguish legitimate law enforcement from criminal threat during the raid.
