Advocates are condemning widespread racial profiling as Immigration and Customs Enforcement continues to carry out mass raids nationwide, with mounting cases of U.S. citizens being rounded up as well.
In Los Angeles, the family of Andrea Velez, a U.S. citizen, described her arrest by ICE earlier this week as a “kidnapping.” Velez had just been dropped off at work by her mother and sister when the pair witnessed masked federal agents grabbing and taking Velez in an unmarked car during an immigration raid. One video shows a masked agent lifting Velez from the ground and carrying her away. Velez’s sister, Estrella Rosas, spoke with CBS News Los Angeles.
Estrella Rosas: “They didn’t have vests that said ICE or anything. Their cars didn’t have license plates. … Just because of the color of our skin, they think that we’re criminals. My sister was there, so they were like, 'Oh, she looks Hispanic, so let's take her too.’”
Velez was released Thursday on bond, accused of attempting to prevent an ICE arrest.