Masked Agents Break Window as Child Cries “Daddy, Police!” in Viral Video
In a disturbing incident that’s sparked bipartisan condemnation and viral outrage, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents were caught on camera forcibly arresting an Iranian-born father while he was dropping off his child at a preschool in Beaverton, Oregon.
The man, 38-year-old chiropractor Mahdi Khanbabazadeh, was detained outside Guidepost Montessori on the morning of July 15, while his young child sat in the backseat. Dashcam and witness videos reveal a chaotic scene: masked officers refusing to wait until the child was safely out of the car, breaking the vehicle’s window, and dragging Khanbabazadeh out in front of stunned parents and teachers.
The videos have reignited fierce debate around immigration enforcement, the conduct of federal agents, and what constitutes humane treatment—especially when children are involved.
Who Is Mahdi Khanbabazadeh?
From Student Visa to Detention Center
Khanbabazadeh originally entered the U.S. from Iran on a student visa and built a life as a licensed chiropractor. According to his family, he is married to a U.S. citizen and has already completed the application and interview process for a green card—a crucial step toward permanent residency.
Despite his legal filings, ICE claims that Khanbabazadeh had overstayed his visa and was subject to arrest.
Critically, local reports suggest that this was not an undocumented immigrant hiding from the system, but a father openly navigating the legal immigration process while contributing to his community.
The Arrest: “This Is Not OK”
4 Videos Capture the Moments Leading to Detainment
Oregon Public Broadcasting (OPB) obtained and verified four video clips—three from dashcam footage and one from a bystander—that piece together the timeline of the arrest.
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8:17 AM: The first clip shows a calm Khanbabazadeh rolling down his window during a traffic stop. As he reaches for his ID, his child—seated in the back—says, “Daddy, police!”
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8:32 AM: In the preschool parking lot, Khanbabazadeh pleads with agents, saying, “There is a baby in the car. Is it hard to wait for three minutes?”
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8:42 AM: ICE agents shatter the driver’s side window. Khanbabazadeh responds, “I am getting out,” only to hear an agent snap back, “Well, you should have done it already.”
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Final clip: Taken by a bystander, it shows masked ICE officers handcuffing Khanbabazadeh while pressing him against the car. “I’m Iranian, I don’t know why they are doing this. I am a doctor,” he says. The bystander adds, “No one here will identify themselves.”
One witness, Randy Kornfield, said a Montessori teacher asked the agents to identify themselves but was met with hostility and a “heated exchange.”
ICE’s Official Account vs. What the Videos Show
“He Stopped Cooperating” vs. “I Am Getting Out”
ICE defended its actions, stating that Khanbabazadeh had “stopped cooperating, resisted arrest, and refused to exit the vehicle.” The agency added that the child was unharmed, and breaking the window was necessary to complete the arrest.
However, the videos paint a murkier picture.
Despite ICE claims of resistance, Khanbabazadeh repeatedly asked officers to give him three minutes to safely drop off his child. There’s no indication of physical aggression or fleeing. His statement—“I’m getting out”—was made moments before agents smashed his window.
The fact that officers were masked and refused to identify themselves, even when asked by educators on school property, has only fueled public anger.
Fallout and Condemnation
“This Cannot Be the New Normal”
This is the first confirmed ICE arrest on a school property in Oregon, setting off alarm bells across political and civic circles.
The following leaders have publicly condemned the incident:
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Beaverton Mayor Lacey Beaty
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Oregon Governor Tina Kotek
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Congresswoman Andrea Salinas
In a joint statement, they emphasized that schools and child care centers must remain safe zones, free from immigration enforcement actions.
Legal advocates have also raised concerns about the lack of transparency, the masked approach, and the psychological impact on the child.
“This is traumatizing, not just for the child, but for every parent who drops their kid off at school thinking it’s a safe place,” one local immigration attorney said.
Legal Path Forward: What Happens Next?
Khanbabazadeh Held in Tacoma Detention Center
Khanbabazadeh is currently detained at the Northwest ICE Processing Center in Tacoma, Washington, as his family scrambles to pursue legal recourse.
His attorney is expected to argue that he has pending immigration status, and that ICE violated procedural norms by targeting him during a routine childcare drop-off—an event with high emotional and public stakes.
Civil rights groups are reportedly preparing to file formal complaints and push for a moratorium on ICE operations near schools.
The Bigger Picture: What This Means for Immigrant Families
A New Flashpoint in America’s Ongoing Immigration Debate
This case is about more than one man. It’s a flashpoint in America’s escalating tension between federal immigration enforcement and local protections for immigrant families.
The videos have struck a nerve precisely because they showcase the human cost of aggressive ICE tactics—a child forced to witness a violent arrest, a community shocked into silence, and a father taken without clarity.
As immigration continues to define the 2024–25 political battlefield, the public outcry surrounding this arrest may serve as a warning: when federal authority collides with the day-to-day lives of families, schools, and communities, there are real consequences—not just for those arrested, but for everyone watching.