The son of a landscaper who was punched by federal agents when he was detained in Santa Ana over the weekend, met his father at the Los Angeles Detention Center for the first time since a violent immigration enforcement arrest was captured on video.
In an interview Tuesday afternoon, Alejandro Baranco said he spoke to his 48-year-old father through the wall of the federal detention center he was transported to after he was taken into custody in Santa Ana on Saturday.
“He looked bad. He looked really bad,” Baranco said. “He was wearing the same clothes he had when he got him. He still had blood in his shirt. He just looked scared. His eyes are all red. He says he’s on fire.”
Finding a place where his father was being held was challenging, Baranco said.
“It’s very difficult,” Baranco said. “If I got a call to find him, and he didn’t tell me what his address was, I didn’t know where he was.”
In the video of the weekend’s arrest, federal agents were seen punching Narciso Baranco. Narciso Baranco has lived in the United States for over 30 years when he was secured to the ground.
He worked in landscaping work outside of IHOP on Richie Street and Eddinger Avenue. The Department of Homeland Security shared on social media Monday that Baranco assaulted federal agents with weed robbers while in custody.
However, his family said that a longtime landscaper was trying to protect himself from pepper spray and some armed agents.
It doesn’t make me love my country that much. It’s because I see all these people standing up for people like my father, so that’s why I love it more.
– Alejandro Baranco
“When he heard it, he was shocked,” Baranco said. “He had no intention of hitting anyone. He had no intention of hurting anyone.”
In the video, Narcisso Baranco was running using garden tools, but did not capture the moment before the confrontation at the busy Santa Ana crossing. When Valenko is taken into custody, the string trimmer can be seen on the ground.
Baranco, who said he asked him to finish his landscaping job while his father was in custody, said he didn’t know how long he was in custody. It was not immediately clear whether Narciso Barranco would face charges in connection with the alleged power tools. The Department of Homeland Security refused to confirm whether a warrant existed for his arrest.
Baranco, who served in the US Marines, said Tuesday’s meeting was full of emotions. At first, his father seemed to be reluctant to approach the window wall and fighting back tears, Barnaco said.
A Southern California gardener, the father of the US military veteran and two Marines, was pinned and punched over the weekend. Hetty Chang is reporting NBC4 News’ report on Monday, June 23, 2025 at 4pm.
“I felt very emotional, but I know how to stay strong for my dad,” Baranco said. “I told him that everyone was helping him here. He couldn’t believe it. He stays strong, but it’s certainly difficult for him.
“He’s just a hard work guy. He’s a kind guy. He’s very proud of his work. His kids are very proud.”
His father thanked the people who loved him and helped him raise funds for legal assistance, adding that he told his son to sell his work truck if he needed money.
Baranco said the family is in the early stages of the PROOLE in Plas program.
Baranco said he always knew his father could be detained by federal immigration authorities, but he took the risks to offer his family. Baranco’s two other sons are currently serving in the Marines.
“I feel very optimistic,” Baranco told MSNBC on Tuesday. “It’s not that I love my country that much. I see all these people standing up for people like my father, so I love it more.”
Iliana Johannsendez, the chief program office at the Immigration Defenderslow Centre, said families seeking someone in custody should prepare for a difficult wait. She said it would take several days to update the system used to find detainees.
“Ice has a website where you can enter your case number, the country they came from, or if you know the country they came from and the country they came from, and that will look for them in their system,” Johansen Mendes said. “The most important thing someone can do before being detained is remembering their phone number.”
In a statement to the NBCLA, the Department of Homeland Security said Monday that the man is protecting immigration and customs enforcement custody.
“An agent in the Border Patrol arrested an illegal alien who tried to avoid law enforcement. DHS Deputy Chief Tricia McLaughlin said. He then fled from a busy intersection and raised the weed whacker with his agent again. The illegal aliens were endured, refusing to fight handcuffs, refused to identify themselves, and to adhere to every stage of the road. The agents took appropriate measures, followed their training, using the minimum force necessary to resolve the situation in a way that prioritized the safety of the public and our officers. He is now in ice detention.”
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