The arrest record behind the protest story is clear: Martin Soto, a Peruvian national in U.S. custody, was picked up after a domestic violence arrest and later transferred to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, not “kidnapped” while buying diapers as his wife claimed.
Sometimes a narrative falls apart in public view, and this is one of those times. Martin Soto is a Peruvian national who entered the United States unlawfully and is currently held in an ICE facility in New Jersey. His wife, Gabriela Soto, said he was “kidnapped” by ICE while buying diapers, and that claim ignited protests and a supposed hunger strike. The simple reality is that the account she and supporters ran with does not match the arrest records and police reports.
“The illegal immigrant who claimed to have been nabbed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement while buying diapers — and whose sob story fueled an anti-ICE hunger strike in a detention center — was actually taken into ICE custody after being arrested for a violent domestic assault, The Daily Wire has learned.” That paragraph, quoted by media outlets, framed the story and pushed sympathy for protesters. But the public record tells a different tale, and the contrast matters because it shows how quickly narratives can be weaponized against law enforcement.
Gabriela described her husband as a “loving father, husband, son, church member, worker” who was unjustly taken to Delaney Hall. This image moved people to protest and to rail against ICE. Yet police documents and sources indicate a violent episode preceded the transfer to ICE custody. When you strip away the spin, you find an arrest for assault—not a secret abduction at the diaper aisle.
“But a police report and sources who spoke with The Daily Wire tell a very different story.” The report details that Martin Soto “purposely” caused “bodily injury” to an unnamed female victim “specifically by using his hands, both opened and closed to strike” her “in her face, causing minor scratches and cuts to her face and neck.” These details are stark and contradict the protective, domestic image pushed by advocates.
The same report continues with a disturbing detail: Soto allegedly “placed a hand over” her “mouth so she could not scream for help.” That allegation is in the official paperwork obtained by investigators and should change how anyone evaluates the protests and the activists amplifying them. Sympathy is understandable for families separated by immigration policy, but sympathy should not extend to people accused of violence against women.
Records show Soto crossed the Arizona border illegally in January 2024 and was processed under expedited removal. He was allowed to stay after claiming fear of return and was released by April 2024. Law-abiding citizens expect immigration to be enforced with common sense, and when a person accused of assault ends up back on the street, questions arise about how our system protects community safety.
Police in Kearny, New Jersey, arrested Soto on February 1, 2026, for simple assault related to a domestic violence incident, and ICE took custody the following day after being informed of his immigration status. The sequence is straightforward: local law enforcement responded to a domestic violence call, made an arrest, and ICE subsequently acted on an immigration hold. That is how enforcement coordination is supposed to work, regardless of political rhetoric from the left.
The version pushed by protest leaders that Soto was nabbed at a supermarket is demonstrably false. Protesters turned a violent riot outside the facility into a moral crusade, repeating the story of a father taken while buying diapers. That narrative drove weeks of unrest, but it was built on a misleading account of the arrest and the facts on record.
From a practical standpoint, the electric emotions around immigration should not obscure basic public safety concerns. If someone is accused of striking a partner, causing cuts and placing a hand over a victim’s mouth, communities and law enforcement must take those allegations seriously. Allowing political theatrics to shield accused perpetrators sets a dangerous precedent and erodes trust in institutions that are supposed to protect citizens.
Supporters of open borders often craft a moral high ground by personalizing cases, and those stories can sway public sentiment. But when evidence shows criminal conduct preceded an ICE transfer, the narrative collapses and accountability matters more than the optics of protest. The legal process, including how and when ICE is notified and acts, follows established steps in these circumstances.
Given the allegations in the police report and the immigration history on file, the logical conclusion is that Soto should be removed from the United States. He entered illegally, claimed fear to avoid immediate removal, and was then arrested on domestic violence charges. We should prioritize victims, enforce laws, and stop allowing false storylines to dictate policy debates.
Editor’s Note: Democrat politicians and their radical supporters will do everything they can to interfere with and threaten ICE agents enforcing our immigration laws.
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