A U.S. citizen injured in a recent incident involving immigration enforcement in Los Angeles has submitted a $50 million federal tort claim against the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and two of its agencies, alleging excessive force.
Rafie Ollah Shouhed, 79, reported suffering from multiple broken ribs and brain damage after being forcibly taken to the ground by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents earlier this month.
According to a statement from DHS, the agents were conducting an operation targeting five individuals from Guatemala and Mexico at Shouhed’s car wash on September 9. He was reportedly arrested for “obstructing” a federal officer, as noted by the Associated Press.
“What can I do for you? Can I help you?” Shouhed recounted, recalling his attempts to assist the agents.
He stated that three masked agents subsequently slammed him to the ground and temporarily detained him, claiming he faced further detainment before ultimately being released without charges.
“This was an outrageous assault on a 79-year-old American citizen in his own business,” said V. James Desimone, Shouhed’s attorney. He described the actions of the federal agents as brutal, alleging that they knelt on Shouhed’s neck and disregarded his medical needs, leaving him in pain for hours.
DHS has a six-month window to either resolve or reject the claim before a federal lawsuit can be filed, according to the Associated Press.
This claim follows another instance in July where a Los Angeles resident filed a $1 million claim against DHS, ICE, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection after experiencing a reported assault at a Home Depot store.
California Governor Gavin Newsom commented on the situation, expressing concerns about the fear instilled in the community by ICE agents. He recently signed a bill aimed at banning law enforcement from covering their faces, introducing civil penalties and potential misdemeanor charges for non-compliance. Following this, the Trump administration instructed federal authorities to disregard the law, though DHS indicated that its officials would not comply.
