Trump voter’s regret! ICE detains supporter who now says, “We were all brainwashed”

Brian Gavidia, 29, is an American citizen from Montebello, California. He voted for the U.S. President Donald Trump, believing the president’s immigration policies would focus on deporting criminals, not everyday citizens, NBC 4 Los Angeles said.

On June 12, Gavidia was detained by immigration agents during a federal enforcement operation in the San Gabriel Valley. He says he was singled out because of his race, telling NBC 4, “I truly believe I was targeted because of my race” and “We were all brainwashed”.

DHS says arrest was for interfering with agents

DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told Newsweek that during a “lawful immigration enforcement operation” in Montebello, Gavidia was arrested for assaulting an officer and interfering with agents.


McLaughlin also said another man, Javier Ramirez, was detained for interference but released after proving he was a U.S. citizen with no warrants. Millions of Americans voted for Trump because he promised to deport undocumented migrants, especially those with criminal records, according to the report by Newsweek.

As raids increased, critics said Trump’s administration was not sticking to the “worst first” policy. Newsweek noted there have been several cases where Trump voters themselves were caught up in immigration raids, as per the reports.

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Gavidia claims he was targeted for being Latino

Gavidia says that during the operation, a federal agent pushed him against a wall and demanded proof of citizenship, asking him the name of the hospital where he was born, NBC 4 reported. A social media video shows him yelling, “I was born here in the states, East LA bro!” while agents in “Border Patrol Federal Agent” vests hold his hands behind his back, says reports.

He says agents took his Real ID and phone. The phone was returned, but he never got his ID back, NBC 4 reported. Gavidia believes his Latino background was the reason for the detention. He now regrets voting for Trump, saying, “I believe it was a mistake because he ran on lies… He said criminals”, as mentioned in the report by Newsweek.

He told NBC 4, “If this was going to happen, do you think we would have voted? We’re humans. We’re not going to destroy our community. We’re not going to destroy our people.” Gavidia said, “We were all manipulated. We were all brainwashed… We are all suffering because of it, and I feel guilty 100 percent”, as per the reports.

Court orders limits on immigration raids

He is one of seven plaintiffs in an American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) lawsuit challenging immigration enforcement tactics. That lawsuit led to a court order restricting when federal agents can start immigration enforcement, claims reports.

The filing said agents concentrated operations in Latino-heavy places like car washes and outside Home Depot stores. Trump’s order for more immigration arrests in Democratic cities made California a major enforcement target, according to the Newsweek report.

On August 1, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a temporary restraining order limiting immigration enforcement in Southern California. Trump administration lawyers asked for the restraining order to be lifted during the appeal process, but the three-judge panel refused.

Judge Maame E. Frimpong’s directive says officers can’t detain someone unless they have reasonable suspicion the person is in the U.S. illegally. McLaughlin told Newsweek that claims of racial targeting are false, saying, “What makes someone a target is if they are in the United States illegally”, as per the reports.

She called such claims “disgusting smears” meant to “demonize and villainize our brave ICE law enforcement.” She said this rhetoric has caused a 1,000% rise in assaults on ICE officers and urged politicians and activists to “tone down their rhetoric.”

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McLaughlin said DHS operations are “highly targeted” and that officers know who they are targeting in advance. She said when agents meet individuals, they ask a set list of questions to confirm status and possible deportation eligibility, as mentioned in the report by Newsweek.

DHS will “follow the President’s direction” and focus on removing “the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens off of America’s streets.” He told NBC 4, “I believe I was racially profiled… Where is the freedom? Where is the justice? We live in America. This is why I’m fighting today. This is why I’m protecting the Constitution.”

Despite the Ninth Circuit ruling, immigration raids continue while the Trump administration appeals. The U.S. Supreme Court will now decide whether to keep or remove the limits on immigration enforcement in Los Angeles and Southern California, reported by Newsweek.

FAQs

Q1. Why was Trump supporter Brian Gavidia detained by ICE?
Brian Gavidia says he was racially profiled, but DHS claims he was arrested for assaulting an officer and interfering with agents during an immigration raid.

Q2. What did Brian Gavidia say after his ICE detention?
He said he now regrets voting for Trump, claiming supporters were “manipulated” and “brainwashed” about immigration policies.