Federal immigration agents in California broke the arm of a U.S. citizen during a confrontation in Long Beach, according to local officials and witnesses. The incident, which occurred on Saturday, involved Ricardo Gonzalez, a former city employee, who was seen in video footage handcuffed and lying face down in a gutter with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers kneeling on his back.
Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson confirmed that Gonzalez was injured and called emergency responders during the incident. Gonzalez’s daughter, Leslie, who has launched an online fundraiser for his medical expenses, said her father was struck by an unmarked ICE vehicle while riding an e-bike. She also alleged that he was tasered twice and sustained serious injuries requiring hospitalization.
“This was not right,” Leslie Gonzalez wrote in the fundraiser description. Mayor Richardson added that police responded to the scene of the disturbance and found Gonzalez detained and wounded on a curb.
The case has drawn strong condemnation from Democratic Congressman Robert Garcia, who represents Long Beach and described the encounter as a “brutal attack.” He called for the abolition of ICE, citing the “horrific” video footage and emphasizing the impact on immigrant communities. “Donald Trump and his inhumane and illegal deportation machine must be stopped,” Garcia said on social media.
The Long Beach Police Department (LBPD) released a statement saying that ICE personnel requested emergency assistance due to vehicle vandalism and a person in need of medical attention amid a large group disturbance. Local officers found Gonzalez bleeding while handcuffed and took him to a nearby fire station, where they removed his restraints before local firefighters transported him to hospital. The LBPD clarified that it was not involved in immigration enforcement or any arrests and later directed ICE agents to leave a secured city facility after they followed officers inside.
The Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE, has not publicly explained the reasons for Gonzalez’s detention but typically characterizes agent actions as necessary for public safety or self-defense.
The Long Beach incident echoes another recent case in Texas, where an ICE agent driving an unmarked SUV reportedly struck a man, fracturing his leg in three places. The Houston-area incident on October 10 is under review by Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare, who is considering felony assault charges against the ICE agent. The altercation reportedly occurred as ICE agents were searching for a deceased individual, according to local advocates.
ICE has not issued official comments on either the California or Texas incidents as inquiries continue.