A recent raid in Montebello has sparked concerns about racial profiling and the questioning of U.S. citizens' citizenship status. On June 12, Border Patrol agents, masked and armed, arrived in an unmarked white SUV at a car lot in the working-class suburb east of Los Angeles. Among those questioned was Jason Brian Gavidia, a 29-year-old U.S. citizen who runs an auto body shop there.
The agents asked Gavidia to prove his citizenship by naming the hospital where he was born. Gavidia, born in East Los Angeles, did not know the hospital's name and responded, "I'm an American, bro!" The incident, captured on video by a friend, has raised legal questions about the methods used in these raids. According to the Los Angeles Times, the video shows Gavidia being pushed against a metal gate and questioned about his birthplace.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) stated that U.S. citizens were arrested because they "assaulted U.S. Border Patrol Agents." However, Gavidia was not arrested, though a friend was detained for allegedly assaulting an officer. The raid is part of a broader enforcement operation across Southern California, where lawyers and advocates argue that individuals are being targeted based on their skin color.
Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin denied allegations of racial profiling, stating that enforcement operations are "highly targeted" and that agents conduct due diligence. The White House also dismissed accusations of racial profiling as "Democrat propaganda."
These operations follow directives from White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller to increase arrests, reportedly instructing agents to make arrests beyond target lists, including at locations like Home Depot and 7-Eleven. The incident in Montebello is part of a larger pattern of enforcement actions that have raised fears and legal concerns in Latino communities across the region.