The mother of a 15-year-old disabled US citizen who was detained at gunpoint by immigration agents in Los Angeles has filed a $1m claim against the Trump administration, accusing them of false imprisonment and unconstitutional racial profiling.
The incident occurred on 11 August outside Arleta High School when masked agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol surrounded the vehicle the boy was in with his mother, pulled them out, and handcuffed him for several minutes before realising they had the wrong person. The boy, who has disabilities, was left traumatised and depressed, his mother said.
The claim, filed by the Carrillo law firm, alleges the agents had no reasonable suspicion or probable cause to detain the boy, causing physical injury and emotional distress. It also claims live bullet rounds were left at the scene, an act of 'clear negligence'. The agents 'racially profiled [the teen] while he was merely sitting his car waiting for his family member', the claim states.
The Los Angeles Unified School District superintendent, Alberto M Carvalho, called the detention 'unacceptable', stating that immigration enforcement around schools 'disrupts learning and creates anxiety'. Congresswoman Luz Rivas condemned the 'continued use of violent tactics to terrorise our students and families'.
The Department of Homeland Security denied the allegations, saying agents were conducting a 'targeted operation on [a] criminal illegal alien' and accused the law firm of using 'racial animus to collect clicks, clout, and cash'. The claim was filed against the Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection, and ICE.
