WASHINGTON – No one seems to know what happened to Vicente Ventura Aguilar.
A witness told his brother and attorneys that the 44-year-old Mexican immigrant, who doesn’t have lawful immigration status, was taken into custody by immigration authorities on Oct. 7 in South Los Angeles and suffered a medical emergency.
But it’s been more then six weeks as then, and ventura Aguilar’s family still hasn’t heard from him.
The Department of Homeland Security said 73 people from Mexico were arrested in the Los Angeles area between Oct. 7 and 8.
“None of them were Ventura aguilar,” said Tricia McLaughlin,the assistant Homeland Security public affairs secretary.
“For the record, illegal aliens in detention have access to phones to contact family members and attorneys,” she added.
McLaughlin did not answer questions about what the agency did to determine whether Ventura Aguilar had ever been in its custody, such as checking for anyone with the same date of birth, variations of his name, or identifying detainees who received medical attention near the California border around Oct. 8.
Lindsay Toczylowski, co-founder of the Immigrant Defenders Law Center who is representing Ventura Aguilar’s family, said DHS never responded to her inquiries about him.
Family sues Ventura County, alleging deputies used excessive force during arrest that led to man’s death
The family of Vicente Ventura Aguilar is suing Ventura County, alleging that deputies used excessive force during an arrest last year that led to his death. The lawsuit claims Aguilar,44,was subjected to “brutal and unnecessary force” while being taken into custody on suspicion of public intoxication.
According to the suit, deputies repeatedly punched and kicked Aguilar, even after he was handcuffed and lying prone on the ground. The family alleges that the excessive force caused Aguilar to suffer a traumatic brain injury and other severe injuries, ultimately leading to his death a few days later.
The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office has released body camera footage of the arrest, which shows deputies struggling with Aguilar, who resisted arrest. However, the family argues that the footage demonstrates a clear pattern of excessive force.
“The video is disturbing and shows a blatant disregard for Mr. Aguilar’s life,” said attorney Eric Dubin,who represents the Aguilar family. “The deputies used far more force than was necessary to subdue him, and their actions were a direct cause of his death.”
The lawsuit seeks damages for wrongful death, excessive force, and negligence. it also calls for changes to the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office’s training and policies regarding the use of force.
Ventura County officials have declined to comment on the pending litigation. Though, they have stated that they are committed to conducting a thorough investigation into Aguilar’s death.
The case has sparked outrage among community activists,who are calling for greater accountability for law enforcement officers. A vigil was held outside the Ventura County Jail last week to honor Aguilar and demand justice for his family.
“This is not an isolated incident,” said Maria Rodriguez, a local activist. “We have seen too many cases of excessive force by law enforcement in Ventura County. We need to hold these officers accountable and ensure that this never happens again.”
Aguilar’s family describes him as a loving father and husband who was well-respected in the community. They are devastated by his death and are determined to fight for justice.
“We want answers,” said Aguilar’s wife, Elena. “We want to know why the deputies used so much force on my husband. And we want to make sure that no other family has to go through this pain.”
Man Missing Since October After Encounter with ICE Agents, Raising Concerns of Misidentification and Due Process Violations
Vicente Ventura Aguilar, a resident of the United States for 17 years, has been missing since October 7th, sparking concerns about potential misidentification and due process violations by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). His family and Representative Sydney Kamlager-Dove are urgently seeking answers regarding his whereabouts.
According to reports, Ventura Aguilar was seen on surveillance footage near a South Los Angeles business five minutes before masked ICE agents began making arrests on October 7th. While the footage doesn’t show him being arrested, two witnesses reported seeing agents handcuff him and place him into a van, as reported by MSNBC.
Representative Kamlager-dove has written a letter to Department of homeland Security (DHS) leaders, dated November 17, 2023, requesting a comprehensive review of the situation. The letter, available here,urges DHS and ICE to determine if anyone matching Ventura Aguilar’s identifiers was detained in October and to investigate any documented medical events or hospital transports of individuals taken into custody around October 7-8. Kamlager-Dove has requested a response by November 29th.
The case has raised broader concerns about the accuracy of detainee identification within the immigration enforcement system. Critics argue that the current system, characterized by what one advocate described as “indiscriminately, racially profiling people,” increases the risk of errors, especially when individuals are detained under substandard conditions and deported without due process.
“To me, that’s another symptom of the chaos of the immigration enforcement system as it’s happening right now,” the advocate stated. “And it’s what happens when you are indiscriminately,racially profiling people and picking them up off the street and holding them in conditions that are substandard,and then deporting people without due process. Mistakes get made. Right now, what we want to know is what mistakes were made here, and where is Vicente now?”
Kamlager-Dove expressed her distress over the situation, stating that she has never before had to search for a constituent who has “completely disappeared off the face of the earth,” requiring her to contact not only ICE and Border Patrol but also hospitals and the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) and morgues. She described the situation as “horrifying and…completely dystopian.”
She emphasized the need for answers for families in Los Angeles, questioning whether similar incidents could occur. “Who else is missing?” she asked.