Latest news with #FernandoDiaz
Yahoo
29-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
US sees spate of arrests of civilians impersonating Ice officers
Police in southern California arrested a man suspected of posing as a federal immigration officer this week, the latest in a series of such arrests, as masked, plainclothes immigration agents are deployed nationwide to meet the Trump administration's mass deportation targets. The man, Fernando Diaz, was arrested by Huntington Park police after officers said they found a loaded gun and official-looking documents with Department of Homeland Security headings in his SUV, according to NBC Los Angeles. Officers were impounding his vehicle for parking in a handicapped zone when Diaz asked to retrieve items inside, the police said. Among the items seen by officers in the car were 'multiple copies of passports not registered under the individual's name', NBC reports. Diaz was arrested for possession of the allegedly unregistered firearm and released on bail. The Huntington Park police chief and mayor accused Diaz of impersonating an immigration agent at a news conference, a move Diaz later told the NBC News affiliate he was surprised by. Diaz also denied to the outlet that he had posed as an officer with border patrol or Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice). At the news conference, police showed reporters paper they found inside his car with an official-looking US Customs and Border Protection header. The arrest is one of several cases involving people allegedly impersonating immigration officials, as the nationwide crackdown on undocumented immigrants intensifies. Experts have warned that federal agents' increased practice of masking while carrying out immigration raids and arrests makes it easier for imposters to pose as federal officers. Around the country, the sight of Ice officers emerging from unmarked cars in plainclothes to make arrests has become increasingly common. In March, for instance, a Tufts University student was seen on video being arrested by masked Ice officials outside her apartment, after her visa had been revoked for writing an opinion article in her university newspaper advocating for Palestinian rights. And many federal agents operating in the Los Angeles region in recent weeks have been masked. In late January, a week after Trump took office, a man in South Carolina was arrested and charged with kidnapping and impersonating an officer, after allegedly presenting himself as an Ice officer and detaining a group of Latino men. In February, two people impersonating Ice officers attempted to enter a Temple University residence hall. CNN reported that Philadelphia police later arrested one of them, a 22-year-old student, who was charged with impersonating an officer. In North Carolina the same week, another man, Carl Thomas Bennett, was arrested after allegedly impersonating an Ice officer and sexually assaulting a woman. Bennett reportedly threatened to deport the woman if she did not comply. Related: The alarming rise of US officers hiding behind masks: 'A police state' In April, a man in Indiantown, Florida, was arrested for impersonating an Ice officer and targeting immigrants. Two men reported to the police that the man had performed a fake traffic stop, and then asked for their documents and immigration status. Mike German, a former FBI agent and fellow at the Brennan Center for Justice, told the Guardian last week that the shootings of two Democratic lawmakers in Minnesota, by a suspect who allegedly impersonated a police officer, highlights the danger of police not looking like police. 'Federal agents wearing masks and casual clothing significantly increases this risk of any citizen dressing up in a way that fools the public into believing they are law enforcement so they can engage in illegal activity. It is a public safety threat, and it's also a threat to the agents and officers themselves, because people will not immediately be able to distinguish between who is engaged in legitimate activity or illegitimate activity when violence is occurring in public,' he said.
The Guardian
29-06-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
US sees spate of arrests of civilians impersonating Ice officers
Police in southern California arrested a man suspected of posing as a federal immigration officer this week, the latest in a series of such arrests, as masked, plainclothes immigration agents are deployed nationwide to meet the Trump administration's mass deportation targets. The man, Fernando Diaz, was arrested by Huntington Park police after officers said they found a loaded gun and official-looking documents with Department of Homeland Security headings in his SUV, according to NBC Los Angeles. Officers were impounding his vehicle for parking in a handicapped zone when Diaz asked to retrieve items inside, the police said. Among the items seen by officers in the car were 'multiple copies of passports not registered under the individual's name', NBC reports. Diaz was arrested for possession of the allegedly unregistered firearm and released on bail. The Huntington Park police chief and mayor accused Diaz of impersonating an immigration agent at a news conference, a move Diaz later told the NBC News affiliate he was surprised by. Diaz also denied to the outlet that he had posed as an officer with border patrol or Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice). At the news conference, police showed reporters paper they found inside his car with an official-looking US Customs and Border Protection header. The arrest is one of several cases involving people allegedly impersonating immigration officials, as the nationwide crackdown on undocumented immigrants intensifies. Experts have warned that federal agents' increased practice of masking while carrying out immigration raids and arrests makes it easier for imposters to pose as federal officers. Around the country, the sight of Ice officers emerging from unmarked cars in plainclothes to make arrests has become increasingly common. In March, for instance, a Tufts University student was seen on video being arrested by masked Ice officials outside her apartment, after her visa had been revoked for writing an opinion article in her university newspaper advocating for Palestinian rights. And many federal agents operating in the Los Angeles region in recent weeks have been masked. In late January, a week after Trump took office, a man in South Carolina was arrested and charged with kidnapping and impersonating an officer, after allegedly presenting himself as an Ice officer and detaining a group of Latino men. In February, two people impersonating Ice officers attempted to enter a Temple University residence hall. CNN reported that Philadelphia police later arrested one of them, a 22-year-old student, who was charged with impersonating an officer. In North Carolina the same week, another man, Carl Thomas Bennett, was arrested after allegedly impersonating an Ice officer and sexually assaulting a woman. Bennett reportedly threatened to deport the woman if she did not comply. In April, a man in Indiantown, Florida, was arrested for impersonating an Ice officer and targeting immigrants. Two men reported to the police that the man had performed a fake traffic stop, and then asked for their documents and immigration status. Mike German, a former FBI agent and fellow at the Brennan Center for Justice, told the Guardian last week that the shootings of two Democratic lawmakers in Minnesota, by a suspect who allegedly impersonated a police officer, highlights the danger of police not looking like police. 'Federal agents wearing masks and casual clothing significantly increases this risk of any citizen dressing up in a way that fools the public into believing they are law enforcement so they can engage in illegal activity. It is a public safety threat, and it's also a threat to the agents and officers themselves, because people will not immediately be able to distinguish between who is engaged in legitimate activity or illegitimate activity when violence is occurring in public,' he said.
The Guardian
28-06-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
US sees spate of arrests of civilians impersonating Ice officers
Police in southern California arrested a man suspected of posing as a federal immigration officer this week, the latest in a series of such arrests, as masked, plainclothes immigration agents are deployed nationwide to meet the Trump administration's mass deportation targets. The man, Fernando Diaz, was arrested by Huntington Park police after officers said they found a loaded gun and official-looking documents with Department of Homeland Security headings in his SUV, according to NBC Los Angeles. Officers were impounding his vehicle for parking in a handicapped zone when Diaz asked to retrieve items inside, the police said. Among the items seen by officers in the car were 'multiple copies of passports not registered under the individual's name', NBC reports. Diaz was arrested for possession of the allegedly unregistered firearm and released on bail. The Huntington Park police chief and mayor accused Diaz of impersonating an immigration agent at a news conference, a move Diaz later told the NBC News affiliate he was surprised by. Diaz also denied to the outlet that he had posed as an officer with border patrol or Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice). At the news conference, police showed reporters paper they found inside his car with an official-looking US Customs and Border Protection header. The arrest is one of several cases involving people allegedly impersonating immigration officials, as the nationwide crackdown on undocumented immigrants intensifies. Experts have warned that federal agents' increased practice of masking while carrying out immigration raids and arrests makes it easier for imposters to pose as federal officers. Around the country, the sight of Ice officers emerging from unmarked cars in plainclothes to make arrests has become increasingly common. In March, for instance, a Tufts University student was seen on video being arrested by masked Ice officials outside her apartment, after her visa had been revoked for writing an opinion article in her university newspaper advocating for Palestinian rights. And many federal agents operating in the Los Angeles region in recent weeks have been masked. In late January, a week after Trump took office, a man in South Carolina was arrested and charged with kidnapping and impersonating an officer, after allegedly presenting himself as an Ice officer and detaining a group of Latino men. In February, two people impersonating Ice officers attempted to enter a Temple University residence hall. CNN reported that Philadelphia police later arrested one of them, a 22-year-old student, who was charged with impersonating an officer. In North Carolina the same week, another man, Carl Thomas Bennett, was arrested after allegedly impersonating an Ice officer and sexually assaulting a woman. Bennett reportedly threatened to deport the woman if she did not comply. In April, a man in Indiantown, Florida, was arrested for impersonating an Ice officer and targeting immigrants. Two men reported to the police that the man had performed a fake traffic stop, and then asked for their documents and immigration status. Mike German, a former FBI agent and fellow at the Brennan Center for Justice, told the Guardian last week that the shootings of two Democratic lawmakers in Minnesota, by a suspect who allegedly impersonated a police officer, highlights the danger of police not looking like police. 'Federal agents wearing masks and casual clothing significantly increases this risk of any citizen dressing up in a way that fools the public into believing they are law enforcement so they can engage in illegal activity. It is a public safety threat, and it's also a threat to the agents and officers themselves, because people will not immediately be able to distinguish between who is engaged in legitimate activity or illegitimate activity when violence is occurring in public,' he said.
CBS News
27-06-2025
- CBS News
Man arrested, accused of posing as Border Patrol agent in Huntington Park
Huntington Park police arrested a man this week who they say was posing as a federal immigration agent. At a Friday news conference, the Huntington Park police chief and mayor discussed the arrest of 24-year-old Fernando Diaz, who they say was impersonating a federal agent, using it as an example of what they say is a broader issue. Diaz was arrested on June 24 after officers spotted a gray Dodge Durango parked in a handicap spot with no visible handicap placard and without a front license plate. Police Chief Cosme Lozano said officers thought the truck might be an unmarked law enforcement vehicle after spotting several police-like radios and a firearm magazine inside the SUV. Vehicle registration information showed that it was registered to a person in Los Angeles, not law enforcement. "The officers then initiated procedures to impound the vehicle for violations of the California vehicle code, and as they were doing so, a male individual approached, claiming to be the owner of the vehicle," Lozano said. Diaz claimed the items in the truck belonged to a friend, investigators said. Diaz also told officers that he works as a security guard and stated that he had previously worked for Customs and Border Protection; however, police say he was unable to produce any valid credentials to substantiate this claim. A further search of the vehicle revealed a loaded 9mm semi-automatic firearm, two holsters, additional ammunition for the gun, three cell phones, a sheet containing U.S. Customs and Border Protection radio codes, multiple copies of passports, red and blue lights hidden under the vehicles visors … "and other miscellaneous items indicative of possible criminal activity," Lozano said. Huntington Park police recovered items from a June 24 arrest of a man who they say was impersonating a federal agent. KCAL News Huntington Park Mayor Arturo Flores said residents across the region are reporting encounters with individuals claiming to be federal agents. "One recent incident prompted a resident to ask, 'Who are these people?' And frankly, the vests that they were wearing look a lot like they were ordered on Amazon, " Flores said. "Are they bounty hunters? Are they vigilantes? These questions reflect a larger breakdown of trust and accountability." During the news conference, Flores added that the Huntington Park City Council passed a resolution this week directing its police department to verify the identity of anyone claiming to be a federal immigration agent in the city. CBS News Los Angeles has reached out to the Department of Homeland Security and are waiting for a response.
Los Angeles Times
27-06-2025
- Los Angeles Times
Man possibly posing as Border Patrol agent arrested in Huntington Park
The Huntington Park Police Department arrested a man this week who they suspect was trying to pose as a federal immigration agent and was in possession of an unlicensed handgun and a list of radio codes for U.S. Customs and Border Protection inside his vehicle. Huntington Park police made the arrest late Tuesday at 7010 S. Alameda St., where officers came across a Dodge Durango parked in a handicap zone, according to city officials. The officers took the man into custody after learning he was carrying an unlicensed concealed weapon in the vehicle. City officials also said the man had a bench warrant related to a DUI case. Police identified the man as Fernando Diaz, 23. He has since been released on a $5,000 bail, city officials said. A representative for Diaz could not immediately be reached for comment. Police investigators are trying to determine if the suspect was trying to pose as a federal immigration agent. City officials said the vehicle was equipped with police lights and several radios were mounted on the center console. They said police officers also found a list of U.S. Customs and Border Protection radio codes. The man told investigators that he worked for CBP in 2022, but his current and past status with the agency could not be confirmed. Spokespersons for the Department of Homeland Security and CBP did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The arrest comes amid growing concerns over the tactics of federal immigration agents who are often seen and recorded conducting immigration raids without identifying clothing or badges, sporting face coverings and armed with pistols. During a recent Senate committee hearing, U.S. Atty. Gen. Pam Bondi claimed she was unaware agents were hiding their faces with masks during immigration sweeps, but suggested it was for their protection. Last week, two California lawmakers proposed a new state law to ban members of law enforcement from concealing their faces while on the job. The bill would make it a misdemeanor for local, state and federal law enforcement officers to cover their faces with some exceptions, and also encourage them to wear a form of identification on their uniform. Recently, Huntington Park Mayor Arturo Flores called the federal government's presence in the region 'political theater' meant to antagonize the Latino population. Flores planned to introduce a motion to the City Council that will direct local police to ask federal agents to identify themselves if they attempt to carry out an immigration operation in the city. 'What happens if you have bad actors who decide to throw on an olive drab outfit and go around abducting people?' Flores told The Times last week. 'I would not ask our officers to interfere with federal matters. But we have to be prepared to hold these agencies accountable for their actions. There's a tragedy waiting to happen.'
