A Native American man is doing well after he recorded a border patrol agent hit him with his vehicle.
Tohono O’odham Nation resident Paulo Remes, 33, was hospitalized for minor bruises following an incident with border patrol. Video of the encounter went viral sparking more outrage regarding the Trump administration's harsh immigration crackdown.
“I’m doing all right, I’m just a little sore, really,” Remes said Friday.
Remes told The Arizona Daily Star he was looking for a speaker to play music when he decided to step in the middle of the dirt road near his home.
Because the Tohono O’odham Nation's village of Topawa is on the U.S- Mexican border, agents have reportedly been harassing the people living on the Mexican side. Remes recorded the video Thursday to prove a point. There has been a history of injustice against his people who may be split up due to President Donald Trump's policies.
U.S Border Patrol ran over an O’odham man today on the Tohono O’odham Nation.
This is an example of the fear O’odham have to face everyday because BP ravage our communities & are careless with our lives. pic.twitter.com/ZEbVlIe5cl— Indivisible Tohono (@Indivisible_TO) June 15, 2018
“I ran into the dirt road in front of my house, because I know they’ll try and hit me,” Remes said, adding that he was speaking on a landline to a cousin. “I think he saw me on the landline and didn’t think I was recording.”
The agent turned the sirens on which Remes thought was a call for help but it wasn't. Instead, the SUV sped off leaving him there to deal with his injuries alone, Remes claims.
A spokesperson from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection told Buzzfeed they would look into the incident by conducting an investigation.
"We stress honor and integrity in every aspect of our mission," the spokesperson said. "We do not tolerate misconduct on or off duty and will fully cooperate with all investigations of alleged unlawful conduct by our personnel."
The Remes family released a statement calling for "action and transparency on behalf of the Remes family and all families who have suffered at the hands of increased militarization of the border."
Official press release from Paulo Remes & his family. Remes is the victim of violence in the video above. They ask that you share & contact the representatives listed at the end of the press release. pic.twitter.com/6IhBFQTHk3
— Indivisible Tohono (@Indivisible_TO) June 16, 2018