when a group of armed, masked men was spotted dragging a woman into an SUV in the Fashion District last week, a witness called 911 to report a kidnapping.
But when Los Angeles Police Department officers arrived, instead of making arrests, they formed a line to protect the alleged abductors from an angry crowd of onlookers demanding the woman’s release.
The reported kidnappers, it turned out, were special agents from immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Police Chief Jim McDonnell defended the officers’ response, saying their first duty was to keep the peace and that they had no authority to interfere with the federal operation.
In political and activist circles, and across social media, critics blasted the LAPD for holding back the crowd rather of investigating why the agents were arresting the woman, who was later found to be a U.S. citizen.
“What happened downtown on Tuesday morning certainly looked and felt like LAPD was supporting ICE,” said Mike Bonin, a former City Council member who is now executive director of the Pat Brown Institute for public Affairs at Cal State L.A.https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/45d747b/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5088×3392+0+0/resize/1200×800!/format/webp/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F1e%2Fe5%2Fadc9a31e4232a9f9eba0ee6486ac%2F1511112-me-0620-ice-action-bell-gem-024.jpg!Police officers and protestors standing near each otherEastside residents and others march in Boyle Heights on Tuesday as part of a series of demonstrations against ICE and in support of immigrants. (Christina House / Los Angeles Times)
Woman Arrested Following Incident with ICE Agent
A recent incident has brought to light concerns regarding interactions between civilians and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. The case centers around the arrest of a young woman following an altercation with an ICE officer during an apprehension attempt.Details of the Arrest
According to statements from Homeland Security’s McLaughlin, the woman, identified as velez, was taken into custody following an alleged assault on an ICE enforcement officer.Court documents indicate that Velez intentionally positioned herself in the path of an agent who was pursuing another individual. Authorities claim she stepped directly into the agent’s path in what appeared to be an attempt to obstruct the apprehension [[2]].
Witnesses, including Velez’s mother, Margarita Flores, paint a different picture. Flores stated she observed a man running towards her daughter immediately before Velez fell to the ground. She also noted the vehicle the men were using lacked visible identification or license plates, raising her immediate concern for her daughter’s safety and leading her to suspect a potential kidnapping. She promptly instructed her other daughter to contact the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD).
Conflicting Accounts and Concerns Over Procedure
Upon the arrival of the LAPD, Velez reportedly approached a police officer seeking assistance.Though,Flores’s daughter,Estrella Rosas,alleges that an ICE agent intervened,forcibly handcuffing Velez and transporting her away in the unmarked vehicle. Rosas described the agent physically carrying her sister to the car.
This account raises questions about the procedures followed during the arrest and the level of force used. According to a 2023 report by the American Civil Liberties union (ACLU), incidents of mistaken identity and aggressive tactics by ICE agents are on the rise, especially in communities with large immigrant populations.
Legal Proceedings and Future Court Date
Velez was held for two days in a federal detention facility. She has been charged with assaulting a federal officer and appeared in court last week,where she was released on a $5,000 bail. As of July 17th, she has yet to enter a plea and is scheduled to return to court for further proceedings. The case is expected to draw further scrutiny regarding the interactions between ICE and the public, and the rights of individuals during apprehension attempts.