American citizens have spoken after saying they were illegally detained by immigration agents in downtown Los Angeles.
On June 24th, 32-year-old Andrea Velez was dropped off at work by her family near 9th Avenue and Spring Street.
Suddenly, she had just gotten out of her car when Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents surrounded her, forced her to the pavement and handcuffed her.
“I was just trying to work and everything happened so fast,” she recalls. “They didn’t identify themselves, so I was scared.”
Her family was nearby when they saw Veleth tackling the ground. Videos from the desperate scene showed that when officers took Bereth and others away, many bystanders gathered at the site gathered at the site.
According to the family lawyer, when they saw two masked men trying to take her while Beres’ mother and sister were walking, they immediately called the police.
US citizen and South Rye Native Andreaverez, 32, was suddenly forced to the ground while working in downtown Los Angeles on June 24, 2025, and was taken into custody by immigration agents. 2025 (@uniondelbarrio) Andrea Veres, 32, a US citizen and South La Native, was suddenly forced to the ground on June 24, 2025 while working in downtown Los Angeles and was subdued by immigration agents. (@uniondelbarrio)
LAPD officials responded to the scene and, instead of supporting Velez, claimed that her family formed a human shield to prevent onlookers from recording and speaking out concerns about their activities.
“I have some bruises in my body,” Veres said. “One of these [the agents] He pushed me into the ground. ”
Witnesses claimed that the agents never asked anyone for ID or proof of citizenship and did not present their own identification.
Video from the bystander showed the agent who put Velez in an unmarked SUV before she was chased away. For 24 hours, her family couldn’t contact or find her until videos of the attack began to surface on social media.
Her family lawyers eventually followed her. With the help of her family, community advocates and lawyers, she was eventually released Wednesday night.
A native of Southern LA, Velez is a marketing designer and a graduate of Cal Poly Pomona. Her family said they were beyond surprised by the incident.
ICE officials allegedly arrested Velez for assaulting an agent, and tried to prevent him from arresting anyone he was actually targeting. Veres’ lawyer Gregory Russell disputes those claims.
“They claim that Veres had assaulted an ice officer,” Russell said. “Imagine this now. You just fell down on work. You’re walking down the sidewalk, and a six-foot man wearing full armor and weapons, starting to charge you with his face shielded and that’s what she’s experienced.
Veles said she was afraid of her life when she was suddenly grabbed by an agent. She believes Ice was targeting other Latino and Hispanic people around her at the time, but she didn’t realize what was going on until later asked.
“They said I was being arrested for blocking or resisting arrest,” she said. “I don’t think I was. I just resisted because I didn’t know where I was going or who was taking me.”
Veles said the ordeal scared and shook her and her family. She said she was simply walking to work and did nothing to assure the violent treatment she endured.
“I’m a Latina so I’m sure I was racially profiled,” she said.
KTLA contacted US immigration and customs enforcement to clarify the Velez case and whether she faces the charges and is waiting for a response.
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