Gardener Says He Was Profiled, Detained by ICE Agents in Bakersfield
A Story of Racial Profiling and Abuse of Power
Ernesto Campos, a U.S. citizen and gardener in Bakersfield, is speaking out about his harrowing experience with ICE agents who he believes profiled and detained him. Campos recorded a video of the interaction, which he says turned violent, and is sharing his story to shed light on the issue of racial profiling and abuse of power.
The Incident
On [date], Campos was driving his truck when he was stopped by ICE agents. According to Campos, the agents asked him to pull over, but he refused to hand over the keys to the truck. He recorded a video of the interaction from inside the truck, which shows one of the agents threatening to break the window if he didn’t cooperate.
Violence and Detention
In the video, one of the agents can be heard telling Campos, "I’m going to break your window if you don’t cooperate." Campos says the agents then used a knife to flatten his tires. "He took a knife and punctured the tires," Campos recalled. "They only detain people for their looks – the color of their skin."
Campos was arrested and detained for four hours, during which time he was not charged with any crime. He was released with a form to fill out to reimburse him for the damaged tires.
A Pattern of Discrimination
Campos believes that he was targeted because of his race. "You are under arrest right now for alien smuggling," one of the agents is heard saying on the video. Campos says that his coworker was in the process of dealing with his immigration status, and that because he acknowledged transporting him, a border patrol agent placed him under arrest.
Lack of Accountability
NBCLA has reached out to ICE regarding Campos’ incident, but has not received a response. This lack of accountability is a pattern in the way ICE operates, with many cases of racial profiling and abuse of power reported across the country.
Conclusion
Campos’ story is just one example of the many cases of racial profiling and abuse of power committed by ICE agents. It is essential that we hold these agents accountable and work towards creating a more just and equitable society.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What happened to Ernesto Campos?
Campos was stopped by ICE agents, who detained him and used violence against him, including flattening his tires with a knife. - What was the reason for the detention?
Campos believes he was targeted because of his race, and that his coworker’s immigration status was a factor in the arrest. - Was Ernesto Campos charged with a crime?
No, he was not charged with any crime and was released after four hours of detention. - Has ICE commented on the incident?
No, NBCLA has reached out to ICE regarding the incident, but has not received a response.
