Video Shows Immigration Agents Interrogating a Latino U.S. Citizen

Introduction to the Incident

Brian Gavidia was at work on West Olympic Boulevard in Montebello at about 4:30 p.m. Thursday when he was told immigration agents were outside of his workplace. Gavidia, 29, was born and raised in East Los Angeles and fixes and sells cars for a living. He said he stepped outside and saw four to six agents.

The Encounter with Immigration Agents

Within seconds, he said, one of them — wearing a vest with “Border Patrol Federal Agent” written on the back — approached him. “Stop right there,” he said the agent told him. Then the agent questioned whether Gavidia was American. “I’m an American citizen,” Gavidia said he told the agent at least three times. Despite his responses, the agent pushed him into a metal gate, put his hands behind his back and asked him what hospital he was born in, Gavidia said. Rattled by the encounter, he said he couldn’t remember the hospital.

Video Evidence of the Incident

Video taken by a friend shows two agents holding Gavidia against a blue fence. He tells them they are twisting his arm. “I’m American, bro!” Gavidia said in the video. “What hospital were you born?” the agent asked again, this time recorded in the video. “I don’t know dawg!” he said. “East L.A. bro! I can show you: I have my f—ing Real ID.” His friend, who Gavidia did not name, narrated the video. As the incident continued, he said: “These guys, literally based off of skin color! My homie was born here!” The friend said Gavidia was being questioned “just because of the way he looks.”

Response from Authorities

Gavidia said he gave the Border Patrol agent his Real ID, but the agent never returned it to him. The agent also took his phone and kept it for 20 minutes, he said, before finally returning it. Even after the agent saw his ID, Gavidia said, he never apologized. In a response to questions from the Times, U.S. Customs and Border Protection did not answer questions about the encounter with Gavidia. The agency said in a statement that it is “conducting targeted immigration enforcement in support of ICE operations across the Los Angeles area. Enforcing immigration law is not optional — it’s essential to protecting America’s national security, public safety, and economic strength.”

Reaction from the Community

Montebello Mayor Salvador Melendez, who watched video of the encounter with Gavidia, called the situation “just extremely frustrating. It just seems like there’s no due process. They’re just getting folks that look like our community and taking them and questioning them.” Melendez said he got a call from a resident when immigration agents were on Olympic Boulevard. Melendez said he heard they were going out to other locations in the city, too. “They’re going for a specific look, which is a look of our Latino community, our immigrant community,” he said.

Personal Account and Aftermath

Gavidia said his mother is Colombian and his father is Salvadoran. They are American citizens. “He violated my rights as an American citizen,” Gavidia said, his voice shaking with anger as he spoke over the phone from his business Friday. “It was the worst experience I ever felt. I felt honestly like I was going to die. He literally racked a chamber in his AR-15.” Gavidia‘s clothes were dirty from work, and he said he figured that’s partly why agents questioned him. Gavidia said he still doesn’t have his Real ID back. He went to the Department of Motor Vehicles Friday morning and said immigration agents had stolen his ID. He said he was told he would need to reapply for another one. “He took my ticket to freedom,” Gavidia said.

Conclusion

The incident involving Brian Gavidia highlights concerns about racial profiling and the treatment of Latino U.S. citizens by immigration agents. The fact that Gavidia was questioned and detained despite identifying himself as an American citizen raises questions about the practices of immigration enforcement agencies. The community’s reaction and the response from authorities underscore the need for transparency and accountability in immigration enforcement.

FAQs

Q: What happened to Brian Gavidia?

A: Brian Gavidia, a 29-year-old U.S. citizen, was questioned and detained by immigration agents outside his workplace in Montebello. Despite identifying himself as an American citizen, he was pushed into a metal gate, and his ID and phone were taken.

Q: Why was Gavidia questioned?

A: The reason for Gavidia’s questioning is not explicitly stated by the agents, but his friend and community members believe it was due to his Latino appearance.

Q: How did authorities respond to the incident?

A: U.S. Customs and Border Protection did not provide specific answers about the encounter but stated they are conducting targeted immigration enforcement in the Los Angeles area.

Q: What is the community’s reaction to the incident?

A: The community, including Montebello Mayor Salvador Melendez, is frustrated and concerned about the lack of due process and potential racial profiling.

Q: What is the current status of Gavidia’s case?

A: Gavidia is still without his Real ID, which he claims was taken by the immigration agent, and he has been told to reapply for a new one.