A couple in South Los Angeles faces federal charges for allegedly attempting to obstruct immigration agents during an operation on February 28.
Aerial footage from that day showed crowds protesting as federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers executed search warrants across Los Angeles. According to the Department of Justice, 28-year-old Gustavo Torres and 34-year-old Kiara Jaime-Flores drove their car to chase and block ICE agents during the raid.
Immigration rights advocates condemned the arrests, calling them acts of intimidation. Ron Gotches, a high school teacher and member of the activist group Union del Barrio, which alerts communities during ICE raids and educates people about their rights, said, “Throughout the nation’s history, anyone standing up for racial and social justice has been targeted.”
“We did not obstruct or interfere,” Gotches said. “Everything we did was legal, but the Trump administration lied about our actions.”
Court documents detail Torres’s explanation for his attempt to block federal agents. Torres reportedly said, “We thought it was a good idea. If it’s ICE taking someone’s family, that’s unjust. Our immediate reaction was to stop those vehicles.”
The couple has been charged with conspiracy to obstruct or assault law enforcement officers. If convicted, they could face up to six years in federal prison.
ICE reported arresting 239 undocumented immigrants last week, releasing photos of four suspects wanted for dangerous crimes including manslaughter, aggravated rape, and vehicle theft.
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