VC Defensa, a Ventura County immigration volunteer network, posted on social media that federal agents raided the homes of several volunteers the morning of May 13.
The Instagram post states that Department of Homeland Security officials broke down doors, shattered windows and handcuffed volunteers during 3 a.m. raids. The action was an attempt to suppress the immigrant rights organization and its right to free speech, the post says.
“This is completely unconstitutional – clearly an intimidation tactic being used against people who are exercising their right to organize and protect their community,” Reem Yassin, VC Defensa’s attorney, wrote in the May 13 post.
A volunteer who answered the organization’s hotline did not answer questions about the incident.
Malea Munger, dispatch supervisor with the Ventura Police Department, confirmed that Homeland Security Investigations notified the department of an operation in Ventura around 3 a.m. May 13.
The Star was unable to immediately reach DHS.
VC Defensa’s Instagram post does not name specific volunteers whose homes were raided.
The organization stated that it plans to take legal action against the raids. VC Defensa said it plans to hold a news conference 11 a.m. May 14 at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Los Angeles to further discuss the issue.
The post mentions that federal agents have previously crashed their cars into one volunteer.
Federal agents arrested Leo Martinez, a community organizer for VC Defensa, on Oct. 16 and again on March 10, accusing him of attempting to crash his car into federal agents in Oxnard and Simi Valley, respectively. Video footage of the October incident shared by VC Defensa, however, depicts a Jeep Grand Cherokee, allegedly belonging to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent, appearing to intentionally ram into the Martinez’s Nissan.In both incidents, Martinez was released from custody. Federal court records show that as of May 13 Martinez has not been charged with any crimes. Martinez did not respond to phone calls. Reporters Ernesto Centeno Araujo and Tony Biasotti contributed to this story.
Makena Huey is an investigative and watchdog reporter for the Ventura County Star. Reach her at makena.huey@vcstar.com. This story was made possible by a grant from the Ventura County Community Foundation’s Fund to Support Local Journalism.
This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Immigration group says federal agents raided volunteers’ homes
Reporting by Makena Huey, Ventura County Star / Ventura County Star
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