The Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF) is demanding $1 million in damages from the federal government on behalf of Job Garcia, a 37-year-old U.S. citizen and Ph.D. student who was allegedly assaulted and wrongfully detained while recording an immigration raid in a Los Angeles Home Depot parking lot last month.
In a legal claim filed Tuesday, MALDEF accuses federal immigration agents of assault, battery, false arrest, and unlawful imprisonment. The claim is a mandatory step ahead of a civil lawsuit MALDEF intends to pursue against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the U.S. Border Patrol, and other Department of Homeland Security (DHS) entities.
According to MALDEF, Garcia, who also works as a photographer and delivery driver, was at the Hollywood Home Depot for work on the day of the incident. When he began filming what appeared to be an immigration raid, agents allegedly tackled him, slammed him to the ground, and held him in custody for over 24 hours — despite confirming he had no criminal record or outstanding warrants.
“He was taken down violently, his phone was thrown to the ground, and his face was pressed into the asphalt,” said Ernest Herrera, MALDEF’s Western Regional Counsel. “All for exercising his First Amendment right to record law enforcement.”
Garcia, who suffered bruises across his body and emotional trauma, has since paused his academic work and missed over four days of employment, resulting in financial losses of up to $3,000, MALDEF said. The organization added that he might not be able to complete his Ph.D. program on time due to the mental and emotional toll.
The organization also alleges that Garcia’s arrest was racially motivated. “All the individuals detained during the raid appeared to be Latino or of Latin American origin,” the claim states. Agents reportedly attempted to interrogate Garcia in Spanish, even after he responded in English.
During his detention, Garcia was held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Los Angeles. MALDEF says he was not arraigned, given a court date, or told why he was being held — despite agents knowing he was a U.S. citizen.
DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin defended the agents’ actions, claiming Garcia assaulted and verbally harassed a federal officer. She reiterated Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s warning: “Anyone who lays a hand on law enforcement will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.”
Garcia and witnesses dispute this, saying he was not aggressive and was only informing detained individuals of their rights. According to MALDEF, he was tackled after shouting to a detained truck driver not to open the door or speak to agents.
“The agents bragged about how many ‘bodies’ they’d gotten that day and celebrated with high-fives,” the claim says.
Garcia, in a statement provided by MALDEF, said, “Border Patrol and ICE punished me for informing others of their rights and exercising my own.”
MALDEF President and General Counsel Thomas A. Saenz said the case exemplifies how civil rights violations during immigration enforcement can impact all Americans. “This is a U.S. citizen trying to document possible government misconduct — and he was punished for it,” Saenz said. “That cannot stand in a democracy.”
The civil claim underscores the broader concern that immigration enforcement tactics are becoming increasingly aggressive — and that constitutional rights are being disregarded, particularly when race is a factor.
“This is about ensuring that no one — regardless of their citizenship status — is subjected to unlawful treatment and abuse,” Herrera added. “Especially not in a country where the First Amendment should protect your right to bear witness.”
