Los Angeles, CA — A U.S. citizen was arrested by federal immigration officers outside a Home Depot in Los Angeles, prompting outrage after two agents drove away in his car with his 1-year-old daughter still strapped in the back seat.
The incident, captured on video by the Los Angeles Rapid Response Network, has triggered anger among immigrant advocates and renewed questions about federal raid procedures.
Video Shows Toddler in Car as Agents Drive Away
The footage shows the man, hands behind his back, leaning against his vehicle as two masked and helmeted agents escort him away. Moments later, the agents enter his car and drive off — even as bystanders yell warnings that a child is still inside.
“It was a dangerous act to have armed men get in a car with that child and remove her from the situation,” said Lindsay Toczylowski, co-founder of the Immigrant Defenders Law Center.
According to Toczylowski, community members contacted her organization for help reuniting the family. However, because the father is a U.S. citizen, the group was limited in its direct legal assistance.
“They should have followed protocols that had the best interest of that child in mind,” she added.
The girl’s relatives later retrieved her from federal offices in Los Angeles, Toczylowski confirmed.
Conflicting Accounts from Homeland Security
A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) told The Associated Press that the man, who is a U.S. citizen, allegedly exited his vehicle wielding a hammer and throwing rocks as agents carried out a raid.
Officials said he was arrested on suspicion of assault, and agents discovered a stolen pistol from New York in his car. However, DHS did not clarify why agents drove away with the child inside.
During the same operation, authorities arrested five immigrants for suspected immigration violations.
Experts Divided on Agent Actions
The decision by agents to drive away with the child has divided public opinion and law enforcement experts. Ed Obayashi, a special prosecutor and police practices expert, said local officers handling similar situations — such as DUI arrests involving parents — typically:
- Call a tow truck for the vehicle rather than drive it.
- Remove the child and take them in a patrol vehicle to the station.
- Notify family or child services to pick up the minor.
However, Obayashi noted that the chaotic atmosphere during a federal immigration raid likely influenced the agents’ decision.
“I think they were just trying to get the vehicle and the kid out of there and to safety,” he said.
Family’s Reaction and Ongoing Questions
The man’s mother, identified only as Maria, said the family received a call from an unknown number instructing them to pick up the child from Border Patrol offices in Los Angeles.
“It’s something very frightening,” Maria said in Spanish. “You don’t know who those people are.”
Maria confirmed that both she and her granddaughter are U.S. citizens, and her son — born in California — works in the restaurant industry. She said the toddler is safe but keeps asking for her father, whose current whereabouts remain unknown.
Public Outcry and Calls for Oversight
Advocacy groups are now demanding a federal review of the raid, arguing that the agents’ actions put the child at unnecessary risk and highlight systemic flaws in immigration enforcement protocols.
The Los Angeles Rapid Response Network said it plans to use the incident to push for greater transparency in how federal officers handle family situations during arrests.
Community leaders and legal advocates say the case underscores the urgent need for clearer safety guidelines when children are present during enforcement actions.
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