A video capturing the arrest of an undocumented immigrant who resided in the United States for two decades has sparked widespread debate online.

Marta Brizeyda Renderos Leiva, 39, a native of El Salvador, was forcibly removed by ICE agents at Salt Lake City International Airport on Wednesday. The footage shows her resisting as agents escorted her away, with bystanders pleading for leniency.

Leiva’s attorney, Adam Crayk, asserted that she is legally permitted to reside and work in the U.S., citing a valid employment authorization document set to expire in 2029. “She was not lying when she insisted she was here legally,” Crayk stated. He emphasized that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has repeatedly issued her work permits, including a renewal in 2024.

However, ICE maintains that Leiva entered the country illegally in 2007 and was ordered removed in 2020. A statement from the agency described her arrest as part of a “targeted enforcement operation” after she failed to comply with deportation proceedings.

The case has ignited questions about immigration enforcement, with critics arguing that two decades should have provided ample time for legal status. The dispute highlights tensions between conflicting claims of lawful presence and federal immigration policies.