EspañolJob Garcia, PhD student at Claremont Graduate University, Arrested As ICE Descended Upon Home Depot In Hollywood
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA (Jul 2, 2025) – A U.S. citizen identified as Job Garcia was arrested during an ICE raid being conducted at a Home Depot in Hollywood.
News outlets are saying that the incident took place last Thursday. Job Garcia was capturing video of the ICE raid when he was confronted by agents.
ICE agents tackled the PhD student and placed a knee on his back. After being arrested, Job Garcia was placed in a holding area at Dodger Stadium.
ICE agents allegedly began boasting about how many people they captured during the raids. The PhD student was held for roughly 24 hours and then released back to his family.
A full investigation into the incident remains ongoing.
Liability for Civil Rights Violations During ICE Raids
As the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has continued to ramp up immigration enforcement, there are growing concerns that their raids are violating the civil rights of American citizens. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is one of several organizations pursuing lawsuits. According to Cal Matters, “Federal agents in combat gear, some masked and armed with rifles, have stormed swap meets, car washes, bus stops, and churches since early June, grabbing people off sidewalks and dragging away mothers, workers, day laborers, and U.S. citizens without explanation, the complaint alleges.” The ACLU described the arrests as ‘midday kidnappings’ that result in detainees being held in ‘dungeon-like’ facilities.
- American citizens have reported being tackled by the police.
- American citizens have reported being unlawfully detained without due process.
- American citizens have reported being held for extended periods at detention facilities.
- American citizens have reported being the victims of excessive force by ICE agents.
ICE agents have a legal obligation to respect the law and uphold everyone’s constitutional rights. Any person who is the victim of an unlawful detention or physical force by ICE agents may have civil recourse through a civil rights claim. Among other things, every person has a legal right to record and protest police raids under the First Amendment. Consider, for example, Glik v. Cunniffe, 655 F.3d 78 (1st Cir. 2011). The court held, “The filming of government officials engaged in their duties in a public place, including police officers performing their responsibilities, fits comfortably within [First Amendment principles].” It is illegal for police to interfere with a person’s constitutionally protected rights.
Victims of police brutality are also able to pursue an excessive force claim. Pursuant to 42 U.S. Code § 1983, every person who, under the color of any statute, law or ordinance, causes a citizen of the United States to be deprived of their rights secured by the constitution, shall be liable to the injured party in an action at law. ICE agents cannot unlawfully hit, strike, punch, shoot, or detain suspects under the color of law. It is important that certain steps are taken after any person has their constitutional rights violated by ICE agents.
- Medical records related to any injuries should be preserved.
- Surveillance footage that captured the incident should be sought.
- The contact information of any potential witnesses should be collected.
- An experienced civil rights attorney should be contacted.
It can be hard to know where to begin if you’ve had your constitutional rights violated by law enforcement. These incidents can leave victims with lasting physical injuries and psychologically scarred. To make matters worse, ICE and local law enforcement agencies will virtually never accept responsibility for their illegal actions and abuses of power. This is why it is so important that these incidents are properly investigated by an outside party. Any person whose constitutional rights are violated by law enforcement may be able to seek some measure of justice through a civil claim.
Investigating Los Angeles County Civil Rights Violations
We at the Carrillo Law Firm were deeply concerned to hear about the unlawful arrest and detainment of Job Garcia. This is just one of many such incidents that have taken place in recent months. Any person that may have more information about what happened should reach out to investigators. ICE needs to understand that there are consequences for their brazenly illegal actions.
Have you or someone that you care about been harmed or illegally detained by ICE agents? You may have legal recourse. Our team of Los Angeles County civil rights attorneys is here for you. We are committed to helping people understand their rights and holding law enforcement accountable for their illegal actions. Whether you just have legal questions or would like a risk-free case evaluation, we are here for you. You can reach out to us anytime at 626-799-9375.
