Federal agents raid homes of Ventura County immigration activists
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Federal agents searched the homes of immigrant rights activists in an early morning raid that activists allege was retaliatory and part of an ongoing harassment campaign for their work patrolling and monitoring immigration operations in Ventura County.Four locations were searched about 3 a.m.
Wednesday, including the home and business of volunteer Leo Martinez, who said federal agents pointed guns at him and his mother during the search, but made no arrests.Agents took cellphones and laptops, as well as T-shirts and skateboard decks with the logo for VC Defensa, a volunteer-based group that has been documenting immigration raids and detentions in Ventura County.
“We have nothing to hide,” Martinez said in an interview.“If they had access to all of our messaging going back to the beginning, there’s nothing in there.” Business Close to a year after chilling immigration raids started across Los Angeles, the specter of ICE continues to depress business at many Southland shopping centers even when no immigration officers are in sight.
During a news conference Wednesday, members of VC Defensa and their attorney, Reem Yassin, said they were looking at the possibility of legal action against the U.S.Department of Homeland Security for alleged ongoing harassment targeting members for what they said were legal activities monitoring and documenting immigration raids in their community.
The Department of Homeland Security confirmed that search warrants were executed in relation to VC Defensa but did not answer questions about the nature of the investigation.“On May 13, [Homeland Security Investigations] executed several search warrants on individuals associated with an anti-ICE organization,” a Homeland Security spokesperson said in an email.
“Several members of this organization have been previously arrested for ambushing federal law enforcement and destruction of govern...