Violent Federal Detention of U.S. Citizen Caught on Camera in Ventura County
Andrew Gillies
OXNARD, Calif. (KEYT) – A man was taken into custody after his vehicle was rammed by a SUV driven by federal personnel in Oxnard Thursday morning.
According to VC Defensa, an immigrant assistance group based in Ventura County, the man – identified as Leo – is a volunteer with their organization and a U.S. Citizen who lives in the county.
While it is not clear what happened before the vehicle was rammed, VC Defensa shared a video on social media showing an SUV deliberately colliding with a truck being driven by the volunteer multiple times.
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At one point in the video, it appears as though the vehicle being driven by federal personnel attempted a pit manuveur on the truck, damaging both vehicles.
Oxnard Police Department shared with CNN Thursday morning that officers were called around 7:59 a.m. to assist ICE agents who reported to local police that they had been run into.
“At this point, we’re still trying to sort through right now, we’re just assisting them with maintaining peace at the scene,” stated the Oxnard Police Department. “The DHS [Department of Homeland Security] officials will be conducting the investigation. We don’t have any further information We’re not taking an active role in this incident. It’s going to be investigated by DHS.”
VC Defensa shared Leo was taken to Las Robles Medical Center in Thousand Oaks following his detention with unknown injuries.
He was then transported from the hospital to a federal detention facility in Los Angeles where he was eventually released just after 3:00 p.m. Thursday shared VC Defensa via the social media post below.
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Leo stated after his release that he was informed that he has pending charges.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California -the primary federal prosecutorial authority in the area- confirmed it has not received any recommendations for any charges in connection with this incident.
At 1:50 p.m., the Oxnard Police Department posted on its Facebook page stating that prior public statements by the local law enforcement agency were based on information available at the time and provided by federal agents on at least two separate occasions.
“After the post was published [regarding Thursday’s detention by federal personnel], we were made aware of additional details, including video evidence, and we have shared them with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS),” explained the Oxnard Police Department on its Facebook page. “The investigation continues to be led by DHS. The Oxnard Police Department is monitoring the situation but has no jurisdiction over the ongoing investigation.”
On Thursday, Oxnard Chief of Police Jason Benites shared, “At about 11 AM, a video surfaced on social media. The video depicts a silver Jeep Grand Cherokee, driven by ICE agents, broadsiding a grey Nissan Frontier. The person who was arrested by the agents is driving the Nissan. Though the video does not tell the entire story, such as what may have preceded the video, it calls to question what may have transpired. All of what was in the video was prior to the Police Department’s involvement, and PD was not aware of this video until well after the incident on ‘A’ Street had concluded.”
Chief Benites explained that officers with the Oxnard Police Department were initially responding to a reported road rage incident when self-identified ICE agents called dispatchers and stated that they were in pursuit of a grey Nissan Frontier that had collided with their Jeep Grand Cherokee and that the driver was a, “major safety issue”.
The driver of the Frontier -later identified as the VC Defensa volunteer- was cooperative with Oxnard Police officers who made the traffic stop in the area of 8th Street and A Street before turning over the investigation to federal authorities at the insistence of federal personnel at the scene detailed Chief Benites.
According to Chief Benites, federal personnel informed Oxnard Police officers at the scene that they intended to arrest Leo for assault and that the earlier collision was intentional.
“I have received deeply concerning reports about an aggressive ICE activity that escalated into a vehicle collision in an Oxnard neighborhood. This situation raises serious alarm given the troubling pattern of misconduct and abuse by immigration enforcement officials across the country,” stated Congresswoman Julia Brownley, whose Congressional District includes Oxnard. “The lack of transparency and accountability from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and ICE only further undermines public trust and makes our communities unsafe. The public deserves clear answers about what occurred. The continued silence from the responsible agencies only deepens concern and erodes confidence in their ability to operate safely and legally in our communities.”
“No agency, including ICE, is above the law and the use of excessive force should never be tolerated,” added Congresswoman Brownley.
In response to Your News Channel’s multiple inquiries since the incident, the Department of Homeland Security issued the following statement on Saturday from Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin:
“On Oct. 16, 2025, ICE officers were conducting a targeted enforcement operation in Oxnard, California, to locate and apprehend an illegal alien from Mexico who is a registered sex offender. During the operation, officers were confronted an agitator group, who engaged in recording and verbal harassment of the officers on scene. During the confrontation with ICE officers, two vehicles were involved in a collision. No injuries were reported. This is an ongoing investigation.”
When asked if the involved agents are facing any type of disciplinary action or internal investigation, Acting Communications Director for ICE Tanya J. Roman resent the above statement in response while highlighting the phrase “registered sex offender”.
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