Thursday night's season premiere of Law & Order: SVU portrayed Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents as cold-hearted villains who hinder the unit's efforts to convict a rapist.
On Thursday's episode, "In the Wind," a building superintendent named Jorge Ruiz (Juan Francisco Villa) identifies a rape suspect in the apartment complex where he works. His eyewitness testimony is key evidence.
When Ruiz does not show up to court, Captain Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay) drives to his building. She pulls up as an ICE raid is happening. Ruiz, who is in the U.S. illegally, has fled from ICE and is now in the wind.
Assistant District Attorney Sonny Carisi (Peter Scanavino) is livid when he meets with the defense counsel and judge about his fugitive witness.
Carisi: So ICE rolls up on my witness's residence, and we're all just gonna pretend that this is a coincidence. Come on. He dropped a dime so he could get his client off the hook.
Defense Attorney: Prove it.
Carisi: Or how about I take you to the DDC and we let them decide? How about that?
Defense Attorney: Well, do it. It won't fix the fact that your case is based on the word of an illegal, convicted felon.
Carisi: Oh, that's a bogus charge. Your Honor, Ruíz got caught up in a drug sweep. He had $100 in his pocket. If you had a real lawyer, that charge would have been dropped, and you know it.
Defense Attorney: And if he were in this country legally, none of this would matter.
Carisi: There's no citizenship requirement to testify in a felony case.
Judge: Even if everything you say is true, Mr. Carisi, there's no remedy that this court can offer. And we're about to go to trial. So I suggest that you locate your witness, because I'm not adjourning this case.
On network shows, illegal aliens never have real felony charges according to the writers. Somehow a poor innocent illegal just got caught up in a drug sweep as if that just happens to anybody.
Benson and Carisi visit a relative of Ruiz to ask if she can locate him. Benson gives the relative her business card. Ruiz eventually appears at the precinct offering to testify. While there, he portrays himself as a victim of the government and ignores any culpability for sneaking into the country illegally.
Ruiz: I've been in this country for 22 years. I got a job. I--I'm really good at it. Paid my taxes. I send money back to my family. And I was arrested 15 years ago. But--but it was for something that I didn't do.
Benson: And we are going to do everything that we can to protect you.
Ruiz: So my choices are to--to run and hide and hope that they never find me or to-- to just leave my whole life and just go back. And now you're asking me to do something nice for my government? Why would I do that?
Benson: You're right. You're absolutely right. And if you got up and walked out of here right now, nobody would blame you. But the fact of the matter is, Mr. Ruíz, you came in here tonight, which tells me that you want to do what's right, whether or not you get something back in return.
ICE agents then show up at the precinct and arrest Benson when she refuses to hand over Ruiz.
Detective Velasco: Captain, ice is on the way up.
Benson: What?
Ruiz: How do they know?
Benson: Come. There's a back stairway.
Carisi: No, wait. Don't try that.
Detective Bruno: Can they do this?
Detective Velasco: They don't have a warrant.
Carisi: Doesn't matter. They're Feds.
Captain Curry: So they take our witness, and we can't do anything about it?
Benson: Hold on a second. I need you to trust me. Can you do that? [Tense music] Velasco, arrest him.
Velasco: What?
Benson: Now. Arrest him now.
Detective Velasco: Mr. Ruíz, you're under arrest.
ICE Agent: Captain Vincent, you're interfering with a federal operation.
Carisi: Oh, no, she's not. Jorge Ruíz is a material witness, and he's in the custody of the NYPD.
Benson: Do you really want to help a rapist go free? He's ours, okay? Take him to holding.
Carisi: Once he provides his testimony--no, no. We'll release him.
ICE Agent: This you? You have been obstructing this operation from the beginning. That is a federal charge. Put your hands behind your back.
Captain Curry: Oh, no. Captain.
Benson: It's okay. Stand down, Curry. Stand down. - [Sighs] [Handcuffs clicking]
ICE officers later interrupt court proceedings just as Ruiz is about to testify against the rapist. The judge berates the agents, saying, "No, not in my courtroom. Jimmy, tell them they can wait outside, but they are not welcome here."
In the end, Benson is quickly released from jail and her boss acquires a "snitch visa" for Ruiz so he can stay in the U.S. legally.
Throughout the episode, no mention is ever made of the vital role ICE actually plays in arresting sex offenders. Instead, its agents are portrayed as caricatures who could care less about the crime of rape.
With repeated violent attacks against ICE agents and facilities in recent weeks, it is irresponsible of Hollywood to pour fuel on the flames. Television shows routinely portray immigration agents as enemies. How many more agents will be threatened before Hollywood turns down the temperature?
