U.S. Citizen Arrest SHOCKS: Racial Profiling Lawsuit

A Florida-born U.S. citizen faces a federal judge’s ruling after Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detained him three times in under a year, handcuffing him despite his valid identification each time.

Story Snapshot

Leonardo Garcia Venegas, born in Florida, detained thrice by ICE agents in Baldwin County, Alabama—twice at construction sites and once in a traffic stop.[1][2]
Each incident involved handcuffs and leg shackles, even after Venegas showed his REAL ID-compliant driver’s license, issued only to citizens and lawful residents.[2][4]
Lawsuit filed September 30, 2025, alleges Fourth Amendment violations from warrantless raids targeting Latino construction workers.[1]
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) counters that first detention stemmed from Venegas obstructing an arrest of an undocumented immigrant.[2][4]
Federal judge to decide if the class-action suit advances amid claims of emotional distress and ongoing fear.[2][5]

First Detention at Foley Construction Site

ICE agents raided a Foley construction site in May 2025. Leonardo Garcia Venegas worked there when armed officers in camouflage arrived. They passed white and Black workers and detained Latino ones, including Venegas. He showed his REAL ID, but agents handcuffed him anyway and held him for an hour. His undocumented brother faced deportation that day.[1][2][4]

Venegas’s attorney, Jared McClain, stated agents ignored the ID, assuming Latino workers were undocumented. The lawsuit claims Venegas filmed the raid, prompting agents to tackle him.[1][3]

Second Incident in Fairhope

Three weeks later, agents targeted a private Fairhope home construction site. Venegas worked alone when federal officers surrounded the property. They detained him for 30 minutes without knowing his identity or observing wrongdoing. Again, he presented his Alabama Star ID, but agents refused to review it.[2][5]

The complaint alleges this reflects Department of Homeland Security policies via the Gulf of America Task Force, authorizing sweeps on assumptions about Latino workers in construction.[1]

Third Detention After Traffic Stop

On May 2, 2026, near Silverhill, officers followed Venegas driving his brother’s truck from a convenience store. A license plate check led to a stop. Agents threw him to the ground, applied handcuffs and leg shackles, and placed him in a cruiser for 15 minutes. They ignored his REAL ID and passport offer, scanning his license only later while awaiting a K-9 search.[2][5]

Venegas declared this caused severe anxiety, leaving him in constant fear of further stops. Attorneys filed this detail to show a pattern, urging the judge to advance the suit.[2]

Lawsuit Details and Constitutional Claims

Venegas v. Homan, filed in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Alabama, seeks class-action status for citizens and residents hit by these raids. It names DHS Acting Director Tom Homan, DOJ, and others, charging Fourth Amendment breaches, assault, false arrest, and battery.[1]

Plaintiffs argue DHS grants officers sweeping powers without warrants, preemptively seizing those appearing undocumented. The suit lists 19 similar citizen detentions.[1][4]

DHS Defense and Broader Context

DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin rejected racial profiling claims. She said Venegas intervened physically during the first raid to block an undocumented immigrant’s arrest, refusing commands. No charges followed, but DHS insists actions were lawful.[2][4]

This case echoes over 150 post-2017 lawsuits against ICE for worksite raids, with 28% alleging citizen detentions sans suspicion. Heightened assaults on agents—up 1000% per DHS—frame enforcement amid security concerns.[2] Common sense demands verifying citizenship swiftly, yet facts show ID dismissals here. Conservative values prioritize rule of law, but overreach erodes trust in agencies protecting borders.[1][2]

What’s Next in Court

Chief Judge Jeffrey U. Beaverstock will rule if the suit proceeds. Venegas’s team highlights repeated incidents proving standing and risk. DHS seeks dismissal, denying targeting policies. Discovery could reveal body cameras, memos, or Venegas’s birth records, clarifying if obstruction justified force or if profiling prevailed.[1][2]

Resolution may set precedents for ICE operations in high-immigration industries, balancing enforcement against citizen rights. Readers, consider: Does aggressive immigration control risk alienating legal Americans?