Ricardo Gonzalez was injured and taken to the hospital after a confrontation in Long Beach, according to officials.
Incident Overview
Federal immigration agents broke the arm of a US citizen during a confrontation with protesters in California, described by Congressman Robert Garcia as a “brutal attack.” Video footage from Saturday’s encounter in Long Beach shows Gonzalez, a former city employee, handcuffed and face down in a gutter, with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers kneeling on his back.
Emergency Response
Rex Richardson, Long Beach’s mayor, stated that Gonzalez had called emergency responders for help at one point. In an online fundraiser for his medical expenses, Gonzalez’s daughter, Leslie, reported that he was knocked off his e-bike by an unmarked ICE vehicle. She wrote:
““He was tased twice, pinned to the ground, and taken to the hospital for serious injuries. What ICE did was not right.”
Richardson added:
““When the police arrived, we know that he was detained. He was on a curb. He was injured.”
Context of the Incident
This episode involving Gonzalez is part of a troubling trend of violent encounters with federal officers conducting enforcement actions under Donald Trump’s immigration policies. The Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE, has not publicly commented on the reasons for Gonzalez's detention, but often defends its agents' actions as necessary for public safety.
