US citizen in ICE detention released after family reports kidnapping
FILE PHOTO (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)
LOS ANGELES – A 32-year-old US citizen who was detained by masked federal immigration agents in downtown, prompting her family to report a kidnapping to police, has been released.
Andrea Velez walked out of federal custody Thursday evening after appearing in court, where a judge ordered that she be released on a $5,000 bond. She was scheduled to return to federal court on July 17 on charges of assaulting a federal officer.
Velez, a marketing designer and Cal Poly Pomona graduate, was arrested Tuesday morning after her family dropped her off at work. According to her attorneys, Velez’s sister and mother saw her being approached and grabbed by masked men with guns, so they called the Los Angeles Police Department to report a kidnapping.
Police responded to the scene near Ninth and Spring streets and realized the kidnapping call was actually a federal immigration enforcement operation.
“The federal agents did not notify LAPD of their planned enforcement activity in advance. The department responded based solely on the initial radio call reporting a potential kidnapping. No arrests were made by LAPD,” police said in a statement.
Officers remained on the scene and were seen on video forming an impromptu skirmish line to control the growing crowd that had gathered at the scene of the federal operation. Police said officers observed the crowd becoming increasingly agitated and remained on the scene in an effort to de-escalate the situation.
Video of the incident prompted allegations by critics that the LAPD was cooperating with the immigration operation — something the department has repeatedly denied.
The LAPD re-asserted in its statement this week that it does not assist with civil immigration enforcement, consistent with its long-standing policy. The agency also said it was given no advance notice of the immigration operation, responding to the scene only due to the kidnapping report.
“Since 1979, department policy has prohibited officers from initiating police action solely to determine a person’s immigration status.
LAPD’s role remains focused on public safety, crime prevention, and community trust, regardless of immigration status.”
Velez was detained during the operation. Video shows an agent physically carrying her to an SUV. Speaking to reporters after her release
Thursday, Velez denied assaulting a federal officer, saying she was in fear after being approached by masked, armed men who would not identify themselves.
“I was just going to work and everything happened so fast,” she said. “They didn’t identify themselves, so I was scared.”
She was eventually pushed to the ground by the federal agents and taken into custody. Her attorneys said her family was unable to locate her for more than a day.
One of her attorneys, Gregory Russell, rejected allegations that Velez assaulted a federal officer.
“Now imagine this — you’re just dropped off at work, you’re walking on the sidewalk and a 6-foot man in full armor and weapons, with his face shielded, starts charging at you. And that’s what she experienced,” he said.
“Now, who committed the assault here?”
Velez said the men were “just telling me that I was being arrested for interfering or resisting arrest. I don’t think I was. I was just resisting because I didn’t know where I was going to end up or who was taking me.”
She said she is “pretty sure I was racially profiled” because she is a Latina.
Prosecutors contend in a federal complaint that Velez “stepped into an officer’s path and extended one of her arms in an apparent effort to prevent him from apprehending a male suspect he was chasing and that Velez’s outstretched arm struck that officer in the face.” (CNS)
