A US citizen is seeking $50 million in compensation for injuries caused by ICE agents during raids.
A 79-year-old man in Southern California filed a $50 million lawsuit against the federal government on September 25. He claimed federal agents violated his civil rights when they knocked him down during an immigration raid on September 9, according to reports. Associated Press.
Rafieh Allah Shouhed, a Los Angeles car wash owner, suffered several broken ribs, a chest injury, elbow injuries, and symptoms of a traumatic brain injury, according to the statement. Shouhed is a naturalized U.S. citizen of Iranian origin.
Security camera footage from inside the car wash shows a federal agent running down the hallway. He collides with Shouhed and knocks him down, then runs past. Footage from outside the car wash shows Shouhed walking toward the federal agent, who appears to be detaining one of his employees. Shouhed briefly struggles with the second agent, before a third agent runs in and knocks him to the ground.
On the subject: Most of those detained during immigration raids have no criminal record or criminal history.
The complaint is filed against the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and Customs and Border Protection (USCBP).
In a statement, a DHS spokesperson said authorities at the car wash detained five people from Guatemala and Mexico "who violated our country's immigration laws" and that Shouhed "obstructed the operation and was arrested for assault and obstruction of a federal agent."
"What can I do for you? Can I help?" Shouhed recalled his words to the agents.
He explained that he wanted to show these agents documents confirming his employees' right to work. There is no sound on the camera recording.
"This is how ICE operates in our community," said plaintiff Vi's attorney, James DeSimone. "They use physical force. They don't talk to people to find out who's there legally to do their job. Instead, they immediately resort to force."
After his arrest, Shouhed showed his identification to a detention center employee. According to the complainant, he spent 12 hours there and was released without charges.
The agency has six months to settle or dismiss the claim, after which Shouhed can file a lawsuit in federal court.
Several other US citizens have also filed civil rights complaints against the government alleging violations and unlawful detention during federal immigration raids in Southern California. Among them is Andrea Velez, who was detained on June 24 while on her way to work in downtown Los Angeles. She spent two days in custody and faced a charge of obstructing a federal agent, which was later dropped.
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Federal immigration agents have also come under fire for their aggressive tactics during raids. While the Department of Homeland Security has generally defended its tactics, on September 26, for the first time in a long time, the agency publicly condemned the actions of one of its agents after he wrestled an Ecuadorian woman to the ground in a New York courthouse.
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