A US Citizen Was Taken By ICE and Detained For Days Without Water

Andrea Velez, a 32-year-old U.S. citizen, was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in downtown Los Angeles on June 24, 2025, during an immigration enforcement operation.

Velez, a Cal Poly Pomona graduate and marketing designer, claims she was held for 48 hours without access to water despite providing proof of her citizenship, sparking outrage and allegations of racial profiling.

Released on a $5,000 bond on June 26, 2025, Velez’s case has drawn widespread attention, highlighting concerns about ICE’s tactics under the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown.

Velez was dropped off at her workplace near 9th and Main Streets by her mother and sister when masked ICE agents, operating from unmarked vehicles, apprehended her, according to The Daily Beast.

Video footage captured by bystanders and shared by the activist group Union del Barrio shows agents forcing Velez to the ground and placing her in an unmarked SUV.

Her sister, Estrella Rosas, recorded the incident, shouting, “That’s my sister. They’re taking her. Help her, someone. She’s a U.S. citizen,” as reported by NBC Los Angeles.

Velez told The Daily Beast she was “scared” and unaware of the agents’ identities, stating, “They didn’t identify themselves, so I was kind of worried about where I was going to end up.”

She alleges she was denied water for 24 hours and felt racially profiled due to her Latina heritage, a sentiment echoed in her NBC Los Angeles interview where she said, “I’m pretty sure I was racially profiled.”

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), through Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin, claimed Velez was arrested for “forcefully obstructing an ICE officer” during the operation, alleging she struck an officer in the face while he pursued another suspect.

A criminal complaint cited by NBC News states Velez “stepped into an officer’s path and extended one of her arms” to impede the arrest.

However, Velez and her attorney, Luis Carrillo, dispute this, asserting she was simply walking to work and did nothing to warrant detention.

“Andrea is a victim of excessive use of force by federal agents. They had no right to stop her and no right to beat her,” Carrillo told NBC Los Angeles, describing the incident as “police brutality.”

Velez’s other attorney, Gregory Russell, questioned the assault charge, stating to ABC7, “You’re walking on the sidewalk and a 6-foot man in full armor and weapons, with his face shielded, starts charging at you.

Now, who committed the assault here?”

Family and Community Outrage

Velez’s family, unable to locate her for over 24 hours, initially reported the incident as a kidnapping to the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), believing she had been abducted due to the agents’ lack of identification and unmarked vehicles, per CBS News.

The LAPD, responding to the 911 call near 9th and Spring Streets, clarified they were unaware of the ICE operation and remained on scene for crowd control as bystanders grew agitated, according to ABC7.

The department reiterated its policy since 1979 of not assisting with civil immigration enforcement, stating, “LAPD’s role remains focused on public safety, crime prevention, and community trust, regardless of immigration status.”

Velez’s sister, Estrella Rosas, told CBS News, “Just because of the color of our skin, they think we’re criminals,” emphasizing that Velez, a law-abiding U.S. citizen, was targeted due to her Hispanic appearance.

Community advocates, including Union del Barrio, amplified the incident on social media, with videos gaining traction and prompting public outcry, per KTLA.

Posts on X, such as one from @NBCLatino, noted Velez’s claim of being held without water for 24 hours, while @schwaid called the incident “Trump’s Gestapo,” reflecting broader concerns about aggressive ICE tactics.

Velez was released on a $5,000 bond on June 26, 2025, after appearing in federal court, where she did not enter a plea.

The Department of Justice later dismissed the assault charge, as reported by X posts from @NYkrinDC
and @Turquoise__Cat, though DHS maintained that ICE officers face a 500% increase in assaults during enforcement operations, a claim not substantiated with specific data.

Velez’s attorneys are exploring a civil lawsuit against the federal agents for excessive force and wrongful detention, per NBC Los Angeles.

The incident occurs amid heightened immigration enforcement under President Trump, who promised mass deportations during his 2024 campaign.

A separate case reported by Military Times involved U.S. Army veteran George Retes, detained by ICE in a July 2025 raid in Camarillo, California, highlighting a pattern of U.S. citizens caught in immigration sweeps.

A fact-checking site, factually.co, noted that at least 70 U.S. citizens were wrongfully deported by ICE between 2015 and 2020, with hundreds more detained due to flawed systems, underscoring systemic issues in ICE operations.

Public Discourse and Comment from Gavin Newsom

Velez’s detention has fueled debates over ICE’s methods, particularly the use of unmarked vehicles and lack of identification, which her family and advocates argue sows fear in communities.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom, commenting on related raids, called Trump a “chaos agent” for spreading fear, per Military Times.

The incident, coupled with a federal judge’s July 2025 order to halt indiscriminate ICE arrests in seven California counties, has intensified calls for oversight, as reported by NBC News.

Public sentiment on X reflects outrage, with users like @GoogeliArt labeling Velez’s treatment “cruel and unusual” and @DaOGTriple amplifying her story to highlight ICE’s overreach.

These reactions, while not conclusive, underscore growing concerns about civil rights violations during immigration enforcement. Velez’s case, as a U.S. citizen and Latina, raises questions about racial profiling and the broader impact of Trump’s immigration policies on American communities.

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