By Redacción
Redaccion@latinocc.com
Congressman denounces ICE’s use of excessive force
U.S. Representative Salud Carbajal (D-CA-24) issued a statement Thursday rejecting what he described as “misleading and false” claims made by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) regarding the July 10, 2025, raid in Carpinteria, California.
“This is a blatant attempt to distort what happened in Carpinteria,” said Carbajal. “The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and ICE conducted their raid using a disturbing and disproportionate level of force—both on the farmworkers they were targeting and on the peaceful protesters who gathered to defend their neighbors.”
The congressman said he personally witnessed agents in full military gear firing smoke canisters and other projectiles at a crowd of peaceful civilians. “Just before I arrived, witnesses told me agents threw a stun grenade into the group. Several civilians were injured, including a child,” he added.
«An attempt to deflect blame and avoid accountability»
Carbajal said the raid sparked widespread alarm across the Central Coast, prompting a flood of phone calls and messages to his office from concerned constituents. He visited the scene to seek answers and represent the community.
While there, according to his account, an ICE Public Affairs Specialist voluntarily handed him a business card—openly and in full view of dozens of TV cameras, reporters, and livestreaming smartphones.
“ICE’s claims of ‘doxxing’ and ‘violent mobs’ are nothing more than attempts to shift focus away from their unjust tactics, distort the facts to support misleading narratives, and avoid accountability for their aggressive actions, which caused injuries and left our community traumatized,” said Carbajal.
