Border Patrol agents have sparked fears in California’s majority-Hispanic areas after questioning the citizenship of Latino Americans based on their appearance during immigration raids. In a recent incident, two U.S. citizens were detained despite showing identification and proving their American birth.
On Thursday, masked Border Patrol agents arrived at an auto body shop in Montebello, where 29-year-old Jason Gavidia was briefly detained. Gavidia, who is of Latino descent, was asked by the agent if he was born in a specific hospital, as his mother is from Colombia and his father is from El Salvador. When Gavidia said he was born in East Los Angeles, the agent pressed him against a fence and refused to release him until his friend, 32-year-old Javier Ramirez, who also works at the shop, was found.
Ramirez, who is also a U.S. citizen, was eventually forced facedown to the ground and driven away to a federal detention center. His lawyer said officials denied him access to speak with his client, claiming it would not be possible until Monday morning.
The incident has sparked outrage among local officials, with Montebello’s mayor condemning the targeting of residents based on appearance alone. “They came in looking for a specific look, which is the look of our Latino community,” he said. “They’re just going to apprehend anybody that looks Latino.”
A spokesperson for Customs and Border Protection claimed that the agents were conducting a lawful immigration enforcement operation, but Gavidia disputes this, saying that he was treated unfairly due to his appearance. The incident highlights concerns about racial profiling in the federal immigration crackdown.
As tensions escalate, Ramirez’s lawyer says that there are “constitutional violations being done left and right.” The Homeland Security Department has issued a statement reminding citizens that any physical confrontation with law enforcement will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
The incident has sparked widespread anxiety among Latino residents in California, who feel that their rights are being threatened. As one witness said, “That’s not fair at all, bro. We’re all American here, man.”
Source: https://gvwire.com/2025/06/19/im-an-american-bro-latinos-report-raids-in-which-us-citizenship-is-questioned