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By Alex Backus
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Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson in California is calling for an independent investigation into U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) use of force after video showed federal agents restraining and handcuffing a man who local officials say was injured during the incident.
Richardson identified the man as Ricardo Gonzalez, a Long Beach resident, father and former city employee who was involved in the Saturday encounter with federal agents.
The video appears to show Gonzalez pinned down in a gutter as he yells that his arm is broken.
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“I am outraged by the reported treatment of Mr. Gonzalez,” Richardson wrote in a formal complaint he submitted Monday to the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Office of Inspector General. “A federal badge is not a license to brutalize people, disregard their constitutional rights, or deny medical assistance to someone in need.”
An ICE spokesperson told Newsweek that officers used the minimum amount of force necessary.
The agency said officers were conducting a targeted operation to arrest an “at-large criminal illegal alien” when protesters attempted to impede operations, threaten the officers and damage government vehicles, despite being giving lawful commands.
“ICE did NOT hit an individual on a bike. An individual was arrested after he smashed the mirror of a government vehicle. Resisting arrest is dangerous and can result in injury,” the ICE spokesperson said in a statement.
DHS is investigating potential charges related to damage to a government vehicle.
Gonzalez’s daughter, Leslie Gonzalez, said in a GoFundMe fundraiser that her father was struck by an unmarked federal vehicle while riding his e-bike on Saturday, then tased twice and pinned to the ground. She said he was hospitalized with serious injuries and is receiving treatment.
“My Dad is one of the hardest working men out there. Because of him I have a roof over my head and I have all the opportunities around me,” she wrote. “What ICE did was not right.”
Gonzalez told Richardson he is a U.S. citizen, the Los Angeles Times reported.
In his complaint, Richardson claimed that federal agents reportedly failed to provide medical assistance.
“During the encounter, he reportedly was subjected to repeated Taser use, forcibly restrained and sustained significant injuries,” he said.
Newsweek reached out to Richardson’s office comment.
Democratic Representative Robert Garcia, who represents Long Beach, said ICE agents broke Gonzalez’s arm during the encounter.
“ICE agents brutally attacked and broke the arm of a North Long Beach resident and U.S. citizen,” Garcia wrote on X. “The videos are horrific and should concern not just our community but the country.”
The Long Beach Police Department (LBPD) said federal immigration officials requested emergency assistance on Saturday because of vehicle vandalism and a person needing medical aid.
When officers arrived, they encountered what the department described as a large group disturbance involving ICE agents. One officer found a handcuffed man who was bleeding, according to the department’s statement.
Police transported Gonzalez to a nearby fire station, removed his handcuffs and had fire personnel take him to a hospital, according to the department.
Officers also worked to defuse the chaos and direct people to leave the area, the department said. LBPD emphasized that its officers did not participate in immigration enforcement and did not make any arrests.
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Newsweek’s reporters and editors used Martyn, our AI assistant, to produce this story. Learn more about Martyn here. Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Steven Frank and Edward T. Cummins
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