Brian Gavidia worked on West Olympic Boulevard in Montebello around 4:30 p.m. Thursday when he was told that immigration agents were not outside his workplace.
Gavidia, 29, was born and raised in East Los Angeles, repairing and selling cars to make a living. He said he walked outside. And saw four or six agents.
In seconds, he said, one of them – wearing the vest written on the back of the “Border Patrol Federal Agent” – approached him.
“Stop there,” he said, the agent told him. The agent then questioned whether Gavedia was American.
“I’m a U.S. citizen,” Gavidia said, telling agents at least three times.
Gavidia said despite his response, the agent pushed him over the metal door, put his hand behind him and asked which hospital he was born in.
He said he doesn't remember the hospital.
A video taken by a friend shows two agents leaning Gavedia against a blue fence. He told them they were twisting his arms.
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“I'm American, brother!” Gavidia said in the video.
“What hospital were you born in?” the agent asked again, this time it was recorded in the video.
“I don't know Doug!” he said. “Brother Dongla! I can tell you: I have my f-real ID.”
His friend was not named, and he narrated the video. As the incident continued, he said: “These guys were actually based on the color of the skin! My relative was born here!” said Gavidia, a friend, who was questioned: “Just because of his appearance.”
Gavidia said he gave Border Patrol agent his real ID card, but agents never returned it to him. He said the agent also took his phone and kept it for 20 minutes before finally returning it.
Gavidia said he never apologized even if the agent saw his ID card.
In answering questions from the New York Times, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection did not answer questions about encountering Gavidia.
“Targeted immigration enforcement is being implemented to support ice operations in the Los Angeles area. Implementing immigration laws is not optional, which is crucial to protecting the national security, public safety and economic strength of the United States,” the agency said in a statement.
“Every time the removal of illegal foreigners helps restore order and strengthen the rule of law,” the statement continued.
A CBP spokesperson, seeking answers to specific encounters in The Times, said: “The statement provided is the only information available on the operation at present.”
The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Gavidia said that afternoon, another friend was arrested at the same location. His name is Javier Ramirez, and he is also an American citizen. Ramirez's cousin and his attorney, Tomas de Jesus, said immigration agents had entered a private business and “no warranty, no possible reason to guarantee entry to such a place.”
De Jesus said his cousin began to remind people of the existence of agents. He said he only learned about his cousin’s whereabouts on Friday afternoon, and said authorities accused him of “resisting arrests and beating people.”
“We are still conducting investigations to truly understand and determine the facts of the case,” De Jesus said, calling the Metropolitan Detention Center and determining that he is the attorney who wants to talk to clients, but he is not allowed to see their clients at this time.
“I didn't get permission, and I didn't even have the opportunity to talk to him over the phone,” he said.
Montebello Mayor Salvador Melendez watched the video of his encounter with Gavidia, calling the situation “very frustrating.”
“There doesn’t seem to be due process,” he said. “They just make people look like our community and take them and question them.”
Melendez said he received calls from residents when the immigration agent was on the Olympic Boulevard. Melendez said he heard they were going to other locations in the city, too.
“They are looking for a specific look, which is the expression of our Latino community, our immigrant community,” he said.
Gavidia said his mother was Colombian and his father was El Salvador. They are American citizens.
“He violated my rights as a U.S. citizen,” Gavidia said, who was angry when he made a phone call on his business on Friday. “It's the worst experience I've ever had. Honestly, I feel like I'm going to die. He actually put a room in the AR-15.”
Gavidia's clothes were dirty when she got off work, and he said he thought it was part of the reason the agent asked him.
“I’m legal,” he said. “I can speak perfect English. I also speak perfect Spanish. I am bilingual, but that doesn't mean I have to be picked out, for example, 'This guy seems to be Latino; this guy seems a little dirty.' I'm working.
He added: “It's really scary, walking while walking, walking dirty, going home from get off work, and you'll be picked up.”
Gavidia said he still does not have a real ID card. He went to the motor vehicle department Friday morning and said immigration agents stole his ID card. He said he was told he needed to reapply for another one.
“He brought my vote to freedom,” Gavidia said.
