A California man, identified as Ricardo Gonzalez, was hospitalized in Long Beach after an altercation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers. His daughter, Leslie Gonzalez, stated that her father, a U.S. citizen, was tased and pinned to the ground while riding an e-bike. The incident occurred on Saturday when an unmarked vehicle struck him, according to social media posts.
Long Beach Police Department arrived after being called for backup by ICE, which reported vandalism and a person in need of medical attention. Officers found Gonzalez bleeding and handcuffed; they removed the restraints and transported him to a hospital. The police confirmed they did not participate in immigration enforcement or make any arrests.
The Department of Homeland Security has not commented. This case is part of a broader pattern of mistaken detentions of U.S. citizens during ICE operations under the Trump administration’s deportation campaign. In September, a U.S. citizen was injured in Chicago, and ProPublica reported hundreds of similar incidents.
ICE continues to arrest individuals without criminal records despite claims of targeting only “the worst of the worst.” Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson condemned the presence of ICE in the city, stating Gonzalez called 911 and was already detained when police arrived. His office is compiling evidence and plans to file a complaint with the Department of Homeland Security. Videos from the scene show a chaotic confrontation, with onlookers shouting and another woman being detained.
Richardson emphasized that Gonzalez is a father who did not expect to be handcuffed in front of his children.
Source: New York Times Top Stories · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing