ICE Detention of Student Erik Zepeda Draws Investigation Demands

Erik Zepeda, a 20-year-old California resident, was detained by federal agents on October 21 during his walk to high school.

The incident occurred in Santa Maria and resulted in a broken wrist that required surgery, according to hospital records reviewed by his legal team.

Zepeda has disabilities that affect his physical reflexes and verbal communication.

He stated in writing that immigration agents tackled and handcuffed him during his routine trip to school.

Zepeda said, "I thought they were going to kill me."

A volunteer monitoring Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity reported that officers approached Zepeda from behind.

The volunteer noted that agents restrained him face-down and drove him in a vehicle before releasing him.

Zepeda walked the remaining half mile to his school with a black eye and severe wrist pain, where staff called an ambulance.

Dashcam and phone videos provided to The Guardian show masked officers approaching Zepeda from the rear.

Footage captures Zepeda pulling his arm away after an officer touches it, followed by officers restraining him on the ground.

The recordings do not show the entire duration of the encounter.

ICE officials said they were conducting a targeted operation and believed Zepeda resembled their target subject. A spokesperson claimed Zepeda resisted lawful commands and denied he suffered broken bones. Attorneys JP Cooney and Molly Gaston of Democracy Forward cited discharge records confirming surgery for a fractured wrist. They accused ICE of unlawful assault and providing a false account of events. Senator Adam Schiff of California called for accountability. Representative Salud Carbajal requested a full and transparent investigation in a letter dated October 29 to ICE and the Department of Homeland Security. Santa Maria Police Chief Christopher Williams said an investigation is ongoing and that he has notified the county district attorney, the state justice department, and DHS. Santa Barbara County District Attorney John Savrnoch said his office is coordinating with authorities to establish the facts. The volunteer observer noted that officers stopped and released two other drivers in the 20 minutes prior to Zepeda's detention. The observer described the first driver as Hispanic and the occupants of the second vehicle as appearing Latino. On October 23, a federal judge barred immigration agents in California's central district from stopping people solely based on their appearance as Latino and working-class or low-income. This order arose from a racial profiling lawsuit, and the Trump administration has appealed the preliminary injunction. The detention took place during a period of increased ICE activity in California. The nonprofit 805 UndocuFund recorded more than 280 arrests across three central coast counties in October. This figure is higher than the monthly average of roughly 150 arrests during the previous nine months. More than 100 of the October arrests occurred in Santa Maria. Hundreds of students at Santa Maria High and Lompoc High walked out on October 30 to protest the treatment of Zepeda. Glenn Goldin, a former special education teacher and mentor to Zepeda, said the student remains shaken. Goldin noted that Zepeda, who lives in a group home for adults with disabilities, had only begun walking to school independently last year. Goldin described that independence as a source of pride for Zepeda, who does not expect to return to school for several weeks.