{"id":18812,"date":"2025-07-23T12:07:49","date_gmt":"2025-07-23T19:07:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/los-angeles\/latino-tenants-sued-their-landlord-a-lawyer-told-them-they-would-be-picked-up-by-ice\/"},"modified":"2025-07-23T12:07:50","modified_gmt":"2025-07-23T19:07:50","slug":"latino-tenants-sued-their-landlord-a-lawyer-told-them-they-would-be-picked-up-by-ice","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citystuff.com\/los-angeles\/latino-tenants-sued-their-landlord-a-lawyer-told-them-they-would-be-picked-up-by-ice\/","title":{"rendered":"Latino tenants sued their landlord. A lawyer told them they would be ‘picked up by ICE.’"},"content":{"rendered":"

Introduction to the Case<\/h2>\n

In her entire law career, Sarah McCracken has never seen anything like the email she received on June 25. McCracken, a tenants\u2019 rights lawyer at Tobener Ravenscroft, is currently representing a Latino family suing a landlord and real estate agent for illegal eviction after being kicked out of their Baldwin Park home last year.<\/p>\n

Background of the Lawsuit<\/h2>\n

A few weeks after being served, amid a series of ICE raids primarily targeting Latino communities in L.A. County, Rod Fehlman, the lawyer who appeared to be representing the agent at the time, sent McCracken\u2019s team a series of emails disputing the lawsuit and urging them to drop the case. He ended the correspondence with this: \u201cIt is also interesting to note that your clients are likely to be picked up by ICE and deported prior to trial thanks to all the good work the Trump administration has done in regards to immigration in California.\u201d <\/p>\n

Reaction to the Comment<\/h2>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s racist,\u201d McCracken said. \u201cNot only is it unethical and probably illegal, but it\u2019s just a really wild thing to say \u2014 especially since my clients are U.S. citizens.\u201d The comment arrived as ICE raises tensions between landlords and Latino tenants. According to California Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta, ICE has been pressuring some landlords to report their tenants\u2019 immigration status.<\/p>\n

Legal Implications<\/h2>\n

Bonta\u2019s office issued a consumer alert on Tuesday reminding landlords that \u201cit is illegal in California to discriminate against tenants or to harass or retaliate against a tenant by disclosing their immigration status to law enforcement.\u201d Fehlman didn\u2019t respond to requests for comment, nor did the clients he seemed to be representing: real estate agent David Benavides and brokerage Majesty One Properties, Inc. Fehlman\u2019s role in the case is unclear; following requests for comment from The Times, Benavides and the brokerage responded to McCracken\u2019s complaint using a different law firm.<\/p>\n

The Eviction<\/h2>\n

From 2018 to 2024, Yicenia Morales rented a two-bedroom condo in Baldwin Park, which she shared with her husband, three children and grandson. According to her wrongful eviction lawsuit filed in May, the house had a slew of problems: faulty electricity, leaks in the bathroom, bad ventilation, and a broken heater, air-conditioning unit and garage door. \u201cThere was a lot that needed to be fixed, but we accepted it because we were just happy to find a place to live,\u201d Morales said.<\/p>\n

Lawyer Tactics<\/h2>\n

Depending on your interpretation of California\u2019s Business and Professions Code, Fehlman\u2019s comment could be illegal, McCracken said. Section 6103.7 says lawyers can be suspended, disbarred or disciplined if they \u201creport suspected immigration status or threaten to report suspected immigration status of a witness or party to a civil or administrative action.\u201d In addition, the State Bar of California bans lawyers from threatening to present criminal, administrative or disciplinary charges to obtain an advantage in a civil dispute.<\/p>\n

Racial Profiling Concerns<\/h2>\n

You could argue that Fehlman\u2019s email isn\u2019t a threat. He never said he\u2019d call ICE himself, only claiming that Morales and her family \u201care likely to be picked up by ICE and deported.\u201d Morales and her entire family are all U.S. citizens. But she said she feels racially profiled because of her last name. \u201cIt\u2019s not fair for him to take advantage of that,\u201d she said. \u201cI was born here. I have a birth certificate. I pay taxes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n

The case is still in its early stages. Benavides and Majesty One Properties responded to the complaint on July 17, and McCracken\u2019s team hasn\u2019t officially served the landlord Ruiz yet because they\u2019ve been unable to locate her. In the wake of the ICE comment, communication between McCracken and Fehlman halted. McCracken decided Fehlman\u2019s rant and possible threat didn\u2019t warrant a response, and Fehlman hasn\u2019t said anything else in the meantime. Her team is still deciding how they want to proceed in the wake of the comment, which could justify legal action.<\/p>\n

FAQs<\/h2>\n