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MALDEF Files $1 Million Claim Over Job Garcia’s Detention During Home Depot ICE Raid

A civil rights group accuses federal agents of racially profiling a U.S. citizen who recorded an immigration raid

People wait outside of a Home Depot store on Wilshire Blvd that was previously the site of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention of day laborers in the Westlake MacArthur Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, on June 11, 2025.

Overview

  • Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund lodged a $1 million administrative claim under the Federal Tort Claims Act against ICE, CBP, Border Patrol and DHS
  • Job Garcia, a 37-year-old Ph.D. student and delivery driver, was tackled and detained for more than 24 hours after filming an ICE enforcement action at a Hollywood Home Depot
  • The claim alleges agents used excessive force, violated Garcia’s constitutional rights including free speech and protection from unreasonable seizure, and targeted individuals of Latino appearance
  • DHS contests the accusations, with spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin stating Garcia was arrested for assaulting an agent and asserting compliance with detention procedures
  • MALDEF warns that failure to resolve the claim will lead to a federal lawsuit seeking damages for Garcia’s injuries, emotional distress and lost earnings