The factors of convincing immigration raises fear and confusion throughout the United States

Editor’s note: Some video descriptions in this story depict violent arrest.

A man lies in the middle of the road, groaning from pain. It is surrounded by men in tactical equipment. "police," Their faces are covered with masks and dark sunglasses. One officer pierces him over and over the head.

Outside the courtroom in San Antonio, a 3 -year -old woman and her son are driven by men in Sulaibian with their mysterious faces. Her husband calland "My wife, my son," In the Spanish language.

These scenes were captured in many videos posted on the Internet by direct witnesses from the Trump administration campaign against illegal immigration in many American cities.

The arrests follow a pattern: convincing agents, including the application of immigration, customs and other federal officials who have been appointed to work with ice, wear small payments and sometimes reach unique compounds. The Ministry of Internal Security (DHS) told the Secretary of Public Affairs, Tricia McLeulin, to NPR that agents are covering their faces to protect themselves from increasing threats. But civil rights groups and legal preachers say they create fear and undermine the confidence of the public.

"This may be a reason for hiding if you are involved in a secret operation against a well -organized drug roll or a well -known gang of some kind," Stephen Cass, a member of the New York City Bar Association, who criticized the agents last month to hide their identities by rescue. "But this is not what is happening here."

Cass refers to arrests such as those witnessed by Job Garcia in a home warehouse in Hollywood, California.

Garcia, a 37 -year -old photographer and PhD, a student at Clairemont University, has just left the store when he saw men surrounding a box truck with a Latin man in the driver’s seat. Wear some of the jackets that read "Police – American Border patrol," Their faces were covered.

Then, one of the truck window was destroyed.

"Hey, no Abra! U, are you serious, brother?" Garcia hears screaming in the video he recorded, which warns the driver in the Spanish language not to open his door.

When he approached the movie, Garcia says, the agents pushed it on the ground.

"Go down! Download it!" One screaming.

Garcia was arrested for more than 24 hours. He said he had never told the reason, although he was repeatedly mentioned that he was born and raised in Los Angeles.

"They never said I was being held," He said.

Garcia said that he recorded the agents because he "He knew what the supposed ice agents were a mistake, was illegal," Adding that he wants them to be accountable for how they arrested them.

"When you have masks, you will look a little more terrifying. And I think what they were trying to do is to attach terrorism in society," He said.

Garcia believes that the agents seemed to flee from him because he is Latin.

"They saw my appearance as a threat because there were also the other eggs that they were screaming. They did not go after them."

He is now suing the Ministry of National Security and seeks to obtain a million dollars In re -compensation, he claimed that he was targeted to speak.

"What they do is actual terrorism, and the pain that affects them is huge. Strong people of their families – this goes beyond politics. This harms actual humans."

Garcia is represented by the Mexican American Defense and Education Fund (MALDEF).

"There were no orders provided by this border patrol or ice agents for individuals in the parking lot," Maldiv Ernest Herrera said. "A place where Latin workers or workers at the origin of Latin America were often looking for work. They were, as we believed, explained because of this."

Herrera believes that Garcia was also known.

McLeulin from the Ministry of National Security pushed these allegations.

"It is disgusting that these men and women will receive as if there was a type of stereotype," McLeulin said.

She said that Garcia was arrested because of "He assaulted the border patrol officer and was actively, verbally harassing. Therefore, he has nothing to do with his citizenship. It is the fact that in reality it comes out and assaults (a) law enforcement officer."

When he was asked why Garcia says he was not an explanation for his arrest or release. "I was arrested – I am pleased to share this specified information with you."

She added, "We have evidence that it is an act" He claims that the assault agents. DHS NPR did not provide evidence on request.

McLeulin also denied reports that ice agents wearing masks failed to get to know themselves.

"I was in a number of these operations," She said. "They wear jackets that say ice or the aero, which is the arm of enforcing investigations into security or internal security. They are clearly defining themselves. It also surrounds the vehicles that also say “internal security”."

When asked about the federal regulations that require the officers to identify themselves, McLeulin said that reservation is related to safety.

"These are the men and women who (they) are online. We know that people take a video of operations as they continue. Law enforcement. Their families were targeted. Their addresses and personal information have been placed on sites such as Reddit and other online chat forums to target them," McLeulin said.

Democrats presented Sens. Alex Padilla from California and Korea Booker from New Jersey legislation that would prevent federal immigration agents from wearing masks during detention. In June, Badilla was It was strongly removed by federal agents From a press conference in Los Angeles while trying to question the Minister of National Security, Christie sleep, on the Trump administration’s decision to send the National Guard to the city.

Cass, from the New York City Bar Association, said his group has other safety concerns.

"It also encourages violence," He said. "In many states, people are allowed to carry a weapon. They are also allowed to stand on their soil when they are accused by threatening strangers. This is an invitation to someone to photograph him."

He added that he risks abuse.

"Once they are hidden, they do not feel accountable because they do not feel that they will be recognized."

There was Reports scattered From people impersonating immigration agents. In Philadelphia, the police said A man with a fake gun and badge The auto store was stolen while claiming that it is with ice. In North Carolina, another man claimed He was put up as a worker and forced a woman to have sex Under the threat of deportation. DHS says it is investigating these reports.

As for Garcia, he says that life has not been the same since the arrest. He worries more than his mother, and he is an American citizen who lived in the United States for four decades and does not speak English well.

"We do not allow her to leave herself anymore. Not without one of us with her." He says fear was controlling his community, especially among the most vulnerable. "People reside completely at home and do not go out." He describes the feeling of others in his country.

He says, speaking out and prosecuting is his way of restoring some strength.

The radio version was produced by Barry Gordmer and edited by HJ Mai and Adam Bearne. The digital version was adapted and produced by Majid Al -Wahidi, and was edited by Manuel.

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