A Florida woman’s alleged punch during an ICE operation exploded into felony charges as state leaders warned that attacking troopers will not be tolerated.
Florida authorities arrested 40-year-old Jennifer Cruz of Jacksonville after an Immigration and Customs Enforcement operation on Beach Boulevard turned chaotic, with officials accusing her of striking a state trooper in the face during a traffic stop.
The arrest immediately drew attention from top state officials, who framed the incident as a clear line-crossing amid heightened immigration enforcement across the country.
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier publicly identified Cruz and described the confrontation as a deliberate act that quickly escalated into serious criminal exposure.
“This is Jennifer Cruz of Jacksonville. Jennifer disagrees with immigration enforcement and decided to commit a few felonies by getting out of her car and punching a Trooper in the face,” Uthmeier wrote in a social media post tied to the arrest.
Uthmeier followed with a blunt warning that contrasted Florida with other jurisdictions, adding, “But unlike Minnesota, we don’t put up with this nonsense. Not today, Jennifer.”
His post included an image captured from a police camera showing Cruz’s arrest, reinforcing the administration’s message that resistance against law enforcement would be met with swift consequences.
The confrontation unfolded outside the Mi Pueblo Mexican grocery store, where the business owner watched events spiral in front of his shop.
Juan Alvarez described seeing a routine traffic stop morph into a larger federal operation as ICE agents arrived to assist the state trooper.
This is Jennifer Cruz of Jacksonville. Jennifer disagrees with immigration enforcement and decided to commit a few felonies by getting out of her car and punching a Trooper in the face.
But unlike Minnesota, we don’t put up with this nonsense. Not today, Jennifer. pic.twitter.com/vw28UPJ9Kn
— Attorney General James Uthmeier (@AGJamesUthmeier) January 15, 2026
“What I witnessed was a traffic stop by the state trooper,” Alvarez explained, recounting how officers detained a driver before the situation escalated.
According to Alvarez, the scene intensified rapidly as another individual became involved and an altercation broke out.
“ICE agents showed up with the state trooper. They detained a driver, the person was driving, and so yeah, they had an operation going on,” he said, adding that the interaction “turned violent,” drawing in additional police and federal enforcement.
Alvarez recorded video from inside his store as officers moved in to take Cruz into custody, footage that later circulated alongside official statements.
Cruz lashed out at officers as they tried to put her inside of a squad car, even going as far as kicking one of them. She was so unruly that they had to tase her to get her to stop attacking and shut the vehicle’s doors.
In the video she can be seen kicking at the patrol vehicle’s internal camera and the roof, even after being subdued.
🔥🚨BREAKING: New footage released of Left-Wing Lunitic in Jacksonville, Florida, Jeniffer Cruz, who punched a State Trooper during an Immigration Enforcement Operation.
The video shows Jennifer Cruz kicking officers as she was put into a squad car after being arrested. A taser… pic.twitter.com/Z5BQyXHB3q
— The Patriot Oasis™ (@ThePatriotOasis) January 15, 2026
The visual evidence added to the public scrutiny surrounding the arrest and underscored how quickly the protest turned physical.
Jail records show Cruz faces multiple charges tied to the incident, including resisting an officer with violence, battery on law enforcement, and driving with a suspended driver’s license.
The list of charges reflects the severity Florida officials attached to the alleged attack and the broader enforcement action that followed.
Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis addressed the arrest during a media briefing, using the moment to reinforce Florida’s stance on public order.
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“This is not Minneapolis. This is not going to end well for you in Florida,” DeSantis warned, drawing a sharp distinction between protest rights and physical confrontation with officers.
DeSantis acknowledged that citizens are free to voice opposition to government policy but drew a firm boundary at violence.
“You have a right to go out there and criticize government policy. You can go out there and protest within respected zones,” he said, before stressing that “the idea that you’re going to assault one of our troopers is unacceptable, and you are going to face consequences as a result of that.”
The Florida arrest unfolded as tensions over immigration enforcement flared elsewhere, particularly in Minneapolis, where a separate incident involving federal officers sparked protests and public outcry.
While unrelated to Cruz’s case, the developments highlighted the broader national strain surrounding ICE operations.
In Minneapolis, a federal officer shot a man in the leg during an attempted traffic stop Wednesday night, according to the Department of Homeland Security, as a crowd of protesters gathered near the scene.
The shooting occurred just before 7 p.m. after officers were attacked with a shovel and a broom while attempting what DHS described as a targeted stop.
City officials reported that the man who was shot was hospitalized with injuries believed to be non-life-threatening and urged calm as emotions ran high.
The situation deteriorated as night fell, with Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara later declaring the demonstration unlawful.
He cited protesters throwing fireworks, rocks, and ice at officers as the reason for ordering the crowd to disperse.
DHS outlined a chaotic chain of events leading up to the shooting, stating that officers attempted to stop a Venezuelan man they say is in the country illegally.
According to the agency, the man fled in a vehicle, crashed into a parked car, and then ran, prompting a foot pursuit.
During the chase, DHS said the man assaulted the pursuing officer, and the struggle escalated when two other individuals emerged from an apartment wielding a snow shovel and a broom handle.
The agency claimed the original suspect broke free and joined the attack, intensifying the threat.
“Fearing for his life and safety as he was being ambushed by three individuals, the officer fired defensive shots to defend his life,” DHS stated, noting that the man officers had been chasing was struck in the leg.
DHS said both the man and the officer were taken to hospitals, while two other men were taken into custody.
O’Hara later said the shooting occurred outside a home north of downtown Minneapolis and that the wounded man retreated inside and initially refused to come out. Federal agents eventually entered the residence and transported him to a hospital, according to the chief.
Authorities from the FBI and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension were called in to process evidence at the scene, reflecting the seriousness of the confrontation and the scrutiny surrounding the use of force.
Adding to the confusion, a live Facebook video surfaced showing family members inside a home pleading for help in Spanish as they described a man who they claimed had been shot in the leg by ICE officers.
“Please, help us. We have children,” a man said as others spoke urgently with what appeared to be 911 dispatchers.
The video did not show anyone visibly wounded, and officials said it was not immediately clear whether the footage captured the same shooting referenced by federal and city authorities.
The video was posted around the time of the incident and was geolocated to the same north Minneapolis neighborhood, deepening questions as investigations continued.
