Legal representatives representing a producer from Chicago's WGN television station who was briefly held by federal agents last week characterize the incident as "something that should concern and frighten every person in this country".
The journalist, a American national and station staff member, was arrested on Friday by federal agents during an Immigration and Customs Enforcement operation in Chicago's Lincoln Square neighborhood. Footage from the location depict Brockman being forced to the ground by officers before she is handcuffed and placed in a van.
At the moment, a homeland security official claimed that the individual "hurled items at an official vehicle" and was "placed under arrest for assault on a federal law enforcement officer".
Later on Friday, the television station announced that their employee had been freed from detention and that no accusations had been pressed against her.
In a news release issued by lawyers representing Brockman on Tuesday, her representatives disputed the government's account. They declared they "strongly refute any claim that she attacked anyone" and that "She was the one who was physically attacked by officers on her way to work" on the date in question.
Her lawyers say that at the time of the detainment, Brockman was "not acting in any official role as an staff member for WGN" but that she was just "heading to the transit point as part of her morning commute when she was confronted by federal officers.
"Brockman, who is a US Citizen born in this country, was forcibly held on a city street," the release adds. "As this happened, individuals on the street began filming the incident and asked Ms Brockman her name."
The statement indicates that she told the bystanders her name and that she worked at WGN, in the hopes that "someone would inform her workplace so coworkers would know that she would not be arriving at work that day", her lawyers stated.
According to her legal team, Brockman was kept in federal custody for about several hours before being freed.
"She has not been charged with any crimes and she plans to explore all legal avenues available to her to vindicate her rights and hold the federal authorities accountable for their actions," the release adds.
"Brad Thomson, one of her attorneys, added in the statement: "When armed, covered, government officers are taking American nationals off the street as they walk to work and throwing them in non-descript cars, you can only imagine what these officers must be willing to do to our foreign-born residents and people who choose to protest against them."
"Ms Brockman was forced down, battered, restrained, and her trousers were pulled down revealing her uncovered skin," the lawyer said. "No one should be treated like that in this city, in this nation or any other place in the world."
Immigration authorities, the Department of Homeland Security, and the US Customs and Border Protection did not immediately respond to inquiries from news outlets.
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