Border Patrol Arrests U.S. Citizen, 20, In Dramatic LA County Take-Down, Prompting New Protests

PICO RIVERA, CA — A U.S. citizen was arrested during a federal immigration raid in Pico Rivera Tuesday after he spoke out against an agent's questioning of another man. The violent takedown, which was caught on video, prompted a protest later that evening.

Now, Rep. Linda Sánchez is demanding answers from federal officials about the incident and several other raids in the area that appear to target workers based on their ethnicity, she said in a letter to the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, the Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the U.S. Attorney General.

Federal authorities conducted raids at multiple sites in the Southeast Los Angeles County city, including a Food 4 Less on Whittier Boulevard and a Lowes Home Improvement store on Washington Boulevard, where the confrontation occurred.

Footage from the incident obtained by KTLA shows several masked border patrol agents in a struggle with a 20-year-old Adrian Andrew Martinez. Amid the scuffle, someone can be heard screaming, "He's a U.S. citizen!" In the video, Martinez appeared to be resisting efforts to handcuff him, but he was quickly taken to the ground, detained and put in the back of a U.S. Customs and Border Protection vehicle.

Martinez, was on a break from his job at a nearby Walmart when he called out the border patrol agent's questioning of an elderly man in the parking lot, KTLA reported.

Witness Oscar Preciado said Martinez was only questioning the officers when they put their hands on him.

"They started yelling at us, 'Get back. Get back. Get back.' While they were pushing one of the other guys, they threw him to the floor twice by the neck, just for standing up for his coworker, who they were grabbing," Preciado told ABC7.

"They’re saying that he attacked them so they want to press charges," his mother, Mayra Villarreal, told Fox 11.

Reached for comment, a Customs and Border Protection spokesperson told Patch "the videos are missing critical moments and don’t tell the whole story."

"Border Patrol agents conducted roving patrol duties in the city of Pico Riviera, CA. While making effecting the arrest of an illegal alien at the Lowe's store at 8600 Washington Blvd., agents were confronted by a hostile group that attempted to interfere with their duties. During the interference, an agent was punched in the face and another agent was struck in the arm by a member of the group. Despite interference from the growing crowd and resistance by the subject, he was taken into custody," the spokesperson wrote.

The case has been presented to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, with the suspect facing prosecution on a charge of impeding or assaulting a federal Officer, according to CBP.

The spokesman confirmed Martinez was in federal custody Wednesday afternoon.

Sanchez (D-Whittier) said she has been working with the Hernandez family to locate Adrian, and connect him with his parents.

“I am deeply troubled that a U.S. citizen, who supports his family by working at Walmart, and is, by all accounts, an upstanding member of his community, continues to be detained by the federal government,” Congresswoman Sánchez wrote. “Furthermore, upon learning more details of the raid and others occurring throughout Los Angeles, I am deeply concerned that the specific immigration raid that took place at this Walmart seems to be in violation of 42 U.S. Code § 1985, which states that targeting workers on the basis of their race, as well as subsequent use of excessive force, is a blatant violation of their civil rights.”

Her letter further demanded responses from federal officials about the legal authority for holding Hernandez and whether border patrol agents had warrants to engage in immigration enforcement at the Pico Rivera Towne Center as well as who they were targeting and why.

Once again, a false narrative is and was being pushed out on the arrest of a U.S. citizen in Pico Rivera, CA. Don't take our word for it, check out @USAttyEssayli take on it. This subject just caught a federal case for assault on a federal agent. DON'T ASSAULT. https://t.co/FEqH2xn4Vk
— USBP Chief Patrol Agent Gregory K. Bovino (@USBPChiefELC) June 18, 2025

• Read more: Pregnant U.S. Citizen Detained By Border Patrol In South Bay Gives Birth

Tuesday's events also prompted city officials to release a statement.

"The City of Pico Rivera is aware and can confirm recent reports on immigration control operations conducted by the United States Immigration and Customs Control Service (ICE) within our city. These actions have, understandably, generated worry, fear and anxiety among many of our residents," the city wrote.

"We want to be clear: The City of Pico Rivera and Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department are not involved, cooperating with, or supporting, in any way, federal immigration control operations. Our city maintains its steadfast commitment to protecting the rights and dignity of all people, regardless of their migrant status. Each person has the right to due process as guaranteed by the Constitution," the statement continued.

"We are deeply concerned about the tone and nature of these recent actions. Reports of aggressive tactics, arrests without warrants and operatives that appear to target specific communities raise serious doubts about the proportionality, justice and legality of the process."

The protest lasted for hours after news of the raids, with marchers traveling from City Hall to the corner of Rosemead and Washington boulevards.

Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department deputies monitored the demonstration, but no arrests were reported.

City News Service contributed to this report.