The season premiere of Law & Order: SVU cast Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents as cold-hearted villains who obstruct the unit’s pursuit of a rapist (S27 E1 09 25 25).
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In the episode, “In the Wind,” building superintendent Jorge Ruiz (Juan Francisco Villa) identifies a rape suspect living in his apartment complex. His eyewitness testimony is crucial evidence in the case.
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When Ruiz fails to appear in court, Captain Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay) drives to his building to investigate (this is where the above video starts). Benson arrives just as ICE agents raid the property. Ruiz, who is in the U.S. illegally, flees from the agents and disappears.
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In the next scene we include, Assistant District Attorney Sonny Carisi (Peter Scanavino) fumes as he confronts the defense counsel about Rutz being a convicted felon and not a useful witness.
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Rutz is portrayed as a honest illegal who has been a productive person in the US and who has been paying taxes. Rutz eventually testifies in court, and his testimony proves crucial in convicting a serial rapist. But Rutz is eventually arrested by ICE after his testimony.
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Throughout the episode, the show ignores ICE’s crucial role in arresting sex offenders. Instead, it depicts the agency’s agents as uncaring caricatures indifferent to the crime of rape.
