Los Angeles, California — Fear has become a constant companion for Brian Gavidia since federal immigration agents confronted him three months ago, leaving him shaken and questioning his security as a U.S. citizen. Gavidia, 29, was at a tow yard he leases for his small car dealership when he became the target of a seemingly routine immigration raid, which turned confrontational and traumatic.
Gavidia, a plaintiff in a significant lawsuit initiated by the ACLU and various immigrant advocacy organizations, alleges that the actions of the Trump administration reflect blatant racial profiling as part of its broader deportation strategy. A recent judicial ruling had offered him and others some hope by acknowledging that federal agents were stopping individuals based on their race, language, or occupation. However, a recent decision by the U.S. Supreme Court has reversed such protections, allowing agents to continue these practices under the guise of immigration enforcement.
This development weighs heavily on Gavidia, who expressed disappointment that their concerns were ignored. “They didn’t hear our pleas. They disregarded humanity,” he said. “We fought for these rights many years ago, and apparently we’re going back in time.”
Los Angeles has found itself at the forefront of the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration policies, with federal agents conducting raids near schools, workplaces, and local businesses, instilling fear in the hearts of many residents. Gavidia’s encounter was particularly harrowing: He was approached by agents who, despite his insistence on being a law-abiding U.S. citizen, escalated the situation to physical intimidation.
During the June encounter, Gavidia recounted that as he tried to understand what was happening, he was met with hostility. An agent demanded to know which hospital he had been born in, and when Gavidia could not answer, he was forcefully thrown against a wall, his arms twisted behind him. The incident was alarming not only for Gavidia but for many who witnessed the event.
“I was helpless. What can you do to a federal agent, even if at that moment they’re breaking the law?” he reflected. “At that moment, I was the worst of the worst. So what can I say? What can I do?”
Despite the traumatic incident, Gavidia describes himself as fiercely proud of his American identity, with tattoos that embody his patriotism. Nevertheless, the reality of the administration’s approach has made him reevaluate his beliefs. He had hoped for constructive change under Trump’s leadership, only to see communities torn apart and American citizens like himself facing unjust treatment.
His mother had concerns about his involvement in the lawsuit, fearing the government’s power. “She was like, no, no, mijo, we can’t win against the government,” Gavidia recalled. Yet he felt a moral obligation to stand up against the injustices faced by his community—an obligation that many of his neighbors share.
The temporary restraining order that followed their lawsuit brought a fleeting sense of security, allowing people to resume their daily lives with less anxiety. With the Supreme Court’s ruling, that sense of security has vanished, leading many to fear frequent encounters with immigration enforcement officials once again.
In a concurring opinion, Justice Brett Kavanaugh suggested that immigration officers could briefly stop individuals to assess their immigration status, releasing those who are lawfully in the U.S. But for Gavidia, this so-called “brief encounter” left deep, lasting scars. “I responded to every question he had to the best of my abilities, in a nice manner,” he stated. “He still threw me to the wall. He still twisted my arm violently.”
Although his business remains closed due to ongoing fears of another encounter, Gavidia is resolute in his fight for justice. “I’m doing this with my legs shaking and my voice cracking because I’m scared, but I will not stay quiet,” he affirmed.
This unsettling chapter in his life continues to unfold, highlighting the broader implications of immigration policy in America and the lives it disrupts.
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