A Colombian immigrant and TikTok influencer was detained by immigration agents after a confrontation outside her Los Angeles home, which played out live on social media.
Leidy Tatiana Mafla-Martinez was taken into custody on Friday, August 15, while streaming from her Tesla, according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told Newsweek that Martinez was arrested due to a prior DUI conviction in Los Angeles.
Immigration authorities have faced heightened scrutiny in recent months amid allegations of misconduct. That focus has only grown since President Donald Trump ordered an increase in arrests as part of his pledge of mass deportations, raising questions about the legality and human impact of Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s actions.
Martinez, who entered the U.S. in 2022 according to DHS, posts under the TikTok handle @tatianamartinez_02. She has built an audience by documenting ICE operations, offering “know your rights” guidance, and commenting on immigration enforcement.
Video circulating online shows Martinez inside her Tesla as agents approached, opened her door, and pulled her onto the pavement. She is restrained face down, a covering placed over her head. Observers can be heard shouting for medical help before she appears motionless.
McLaughlin said the arrest was complicated when “an individual unlawfully towed a government police vehicle.” Additional footage shows a federal agent chasing after the car as it was removed by a tow truck.
“He mocked and videotaped ICE officers chasing after him. Secretary Noem has been clear: Anyone who seeks to impede law enforcement will be found and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” McLaughlin said.
Following the incident, Martinez was transported to White Memorial Hospital before being transferred to a downtown detention center, according to L.A. Taco. McLaughlin noted that she reported shortness of breath during her arrest and received medical attention.
The influencer, who has more than 37,000 TikTok followers, has been creating content focused on immigration enforcement since Trump ordered the removal of migrants without legal status.
DHS has claimed that ICE agents are facing a 1,000 percent increase in assaults, though the agency has not released detailed data to support the figure.
McLaughlin told Newsweek: “On August 15, ICE arrested Leidy Tatiana Mafla-Martinez, a criminal illegal alien from Colombia who was convicted for driving under the influence in Los Angeles. This criminal illegal alien entered the country in 2022 and was RELEASED by the Biden administration. During her arrest, Martinez claimed to experience shortness of breath. She was given proper medical treatment and will be held in ICE custody pending removal proceedings.”
The Sidewalk School, an immigrant rights group, said on Instagram: “She was pulled screaming from her Tesla, later taken by ambulance to the hospital.”
David Earl Williams III, a Democrat, posted on Facebook: “ICE violently arrested activist-journalist Tatiana Martinez in LA, slamming her to the ground on livestream. After a brief hospital release, she was taken back into custody. In a wild twist, one of ICE’s SUVs was towed mid-arrest—turning their crackdown into a symbol of resistance.”
Martinez remains in ICE custody while her removal proceedings move forward.
