The Border Patrol has asked for an internal investigation of the circumstances leading up to the arrest of a transgender woman in an El Paso courthouse.
Irvin Gonzalez was detained as she was seeking court-ordered protection from an abusive boyfriend. The arrest has led to questions about what lengths authorities will go to apprehend people under newly stepped-up immigration policies.
Advocates say Gonzalez's abuser tipped off authorities about her Feb. 9 court hearing on a requested protective order. Gonzalez was taken into custody by a task force composed of Border Patrol agents and Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers who surrounded the exits of the courthouse until she was detained.
Customs and Border Protection spokesman Douglas Mosier said the case has been referred to the Office of Inspector General.