US CITIZEN SAYS HE WAS JAILED FOR THREE DAYS AFTER CALIFORNIA IMMIGRATION RAID
A U.S. citizen has come forward with a troubling account of being mistakenly detained by immigration authorities during a raid in California, leading to three days in jail despite having legal status. The incident has raised fresh concerns about the accuracy of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations and the potential for civil rights violations during immigration enforcement sweeps.
According to 32-year-old Miguel Hernandez, a Latino U.S. citizen born in Fresno, California, he was swept up in an early morning ICE raid targeting undocumented immigrants in a neighborhood known for its large immigrant population. Hernandez, who was leaving his apartment to go to work, said he was stopped by ICE officers, questioned about his identity, and asked to produce identification. Despite showing his California driver’s license and birth certificate, he claims the officers did not verify his documentation thoroughly and accused him of using fraudulent ID.
Hernandez said he was handcuffed and taken into custody along with several other individuals. He was then transported to a local detention facility, where he remained for three days. During that time, he says he repeatedly told officers that he was a U.S. citizen and pleaded for them to check government databases. He also claims he was denied access to a lawyer during the first 48 hours and was not given the chance to make a phone call until the third day of his detention.
Eventually, ICE officers confirmed Hernandez’s citizenship status and released him without charges or an apology. “It was humiliating,” Hernandez said in a press interview. “They treated me like a criminal in my own country. I kept telling them I was born here, but nobody listened.”
The incident has sparked outrage among civil rights organizations, including the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), which has called for an independent investigation into the raid. “This is not the first time ICE has wrongfully detained a U.S. citizen,” said a spokesperson for the ACLU. “These kinds of mistakes have real consequences — emotional trauma, job loss, reputational damage — and they’re unacceptable.”
ICE officials have acknowledged the incident but stated that they followed proper protocol at the time based on the information available. “While unfortunate, errors in identity verification can occur,” an agency statement said. “We are reviewing this incident to ensure that procedures were followed correctly and to prevent future errors.”
Legal experts say this case underscores the dangers of racial profiling and over-aggressive immigration enforcement tactics. “Detaining a U.S. citizen for days without confirming their identity is a clear violation of constitutional rights,” said Professor Laura Jimenez, a constitutional law expert at UCLA. “ICE has an obligation to ensure due process is respected in all cases.”
Hernandez is now considering legal action against the federal government and is seeking compensation for what he calls a “nightmare experience.” His case has also reignited debates about ICE’s authority, the need for oversight, and the rights of individuals during immigration raids — especially in communities of color