A 21-year-old undocumented immigrant, Denis Corea Miranda, was arrested in Polk County, Florida, on Tuesday after allegedly assaulting a federal officer during an attempted arrest in Lakeland. Authorities say the suspect smiled in his booking photo following the incident.
According to officials, two Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents attempted to detain Corea Miranda when he resisted, resulting in one agent sustaining a serious shoulder injury. Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd stated this was the first time an HSI agent in the county had been injured in the line of duty.
“This is the first time we’ve had an agent injured in the line of duty, and he was significantly injured,” Judd said at a press conference.
Following the altercation, Corea Miranda reportedly fled on foot into a wooded area, prompting a large-scale search involving helicopters and drones. Authorities eventually located and apprehended him at a loading dock.
Sheriff Judd said Corea Miranda did not use a weapon during the incident but resisted arrest because he “wasn’t going to be deported.” He is now facing multiple charges, including resisting arrest and battery on a federal officer, and could also face deportation.
Officials say Corea Miranda originally entered the U.S. from Nicaragua and was detained by Border Patrol before being released under a federal “catch and release” policy with a scheduled court date. In 2024, he was arrested for DUI but failed to appear in court, resulting in an outstanding warrant. He has also been linked to prior burglary-related offenses in Polk County.
Judd criticized the current federal immigration system, stating that if the suspect had been detained in 2021 rather than released, the situation could have been avoided.
“The system is broken,” Judd said. “Had they appropriately dealt with him instead of catch and release in 2021, none of this would have happened.”
If convicted of state charges, Corea Miranda could serve time in prison before potential deportation.
Fox News Digital reached out to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office for additional comment.