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Legal representatives acting for a producer from Chicago's WGN television station who was temporarily detained by government officers last week describe the incident as "something that should concern and horrify every person in this nation".

Details of the Detainment

The journalist, a US citizen and station staff member, was arrested on the weekend by federal agents during an ICE action in a North Side Chicago area. Videos from the location show Brockman being forced to the ground by two agents before she is handcuffed and placed in a van.

At the time, a homeland security official stated that Brockman "threw objects at border patrol's car" and was "placed under arrest for attacking an officer".

Later on Friday, WGN announced that their employee had been released from federal custody and that no accusations had been filed against her.

Legal Team's Reaction

In a news release issued by attorneys representing the journalist on Tuesday, her legal team disputed the government's account. They declared they "adamantly deny any claim that she attacked anyone" and that "Brockman was the one who was physically attacked by federal agents on her way to work" on 10 October.

Her attorneys say that at the time of the arrest, Brockman was "not performing in any professional capacity as an employee for WGN" but that she was just "heading to the transit point as part of her morning commute when she was confronted by Border Patrol agents.

"Brockman, who is a American citizen native to the US, was violently detained on Foster Avenue," the release continues. "As this occurred, bystanders on the street began recording the incident and inquired Ms Brockman her name."

The statement says that she told the onlookers her name and that she was employed at WGN, in the hopes that "a person would notify her workplace so colleagues would know that she would not be arriving at work that day", her attorneys stated.

Aftermath and Next Steps

Based on her legal team, Brockman was kept in government detention for about seven hours before being released.

"The individual has not been accused with any offenses and she intends to explore all legal options open to her to uphold her rights and hold the federal authorities accountable for their conduct," the release notes.

"One attorney, a legal representative, added in the statement: "When armed, masked, federal agents are snatching American nationals off the street as they walk to work and throwing them in unmarked vehicles, you can only imagine what these agents must be prepared to do to our immigrant neighbors and individuals who dare to speak out against them."

"Ms Brockman was forced down, struck, handcuffed, and her trousers were lowered exposing her bare buttocks," Thomson stated. "Not anyone should be treated like that in this city, in this nation or anywhere else in the globe."

Immigration authorities, the federal agency, and the border agency did not provide a prompt reply to requests for comment from the media.