Leonardo Venegas case: DHS says Alabama man obstructed ICE arrest after damning video emerges
The Leonardo Garcia Venegas arrest case took a major turn on Saturday after the Department of Homeland Security revealed that ICE agents were not trying to arrest the Alabama man initially. The DHS, in a statement, said that Venegas tried to obstruct officials and refused to comply with verbal instructions while they were trying to detain a subject.
After a video showing ICE agents holding Venegas' neck and putting him down on his knees before his arrest surfaced, DHS claimed that the Florida-born man faced 'consequences' over his refusal to comply with commands.
'He physically got in between agents and the subject they were attempting to arrest and refused to comply with numerous verbal commands. Anyone who actively obstructs law enforcement in the performance of their sworn duties, including U.S. citizens, will, of course, face consequences, which include arrest," Tricia McLaughlin, DHS assistant secretary, said on Saturday.
Read More: Federal judge blocks immigration authorities from revoking international students' legal status
Venegas, however, denied DHS's claim. He told NBC News that he was trying to take out his phone when an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent took it and threw it to the ground.
Spanish-language US news outlet Telemundo reported that authorities dismissed his Real ID as 'fake' during an arrest operation on Wednesday. The outlet first posted the video, showing officers wrestling Leonardo Garcia Venegas. The 25-year-old was born to Mexican parents in Florida. He was at his construction job in Foley, Alabama, during his arrest.
Read More: No US visa for travel agency owners, officials who facilitated illegal immigration
In the clip, Venegas can be heard yelling: 'I am a citizen." He told Telemundo that officials took out his wallet, removed his ID, but told him that it was fake.
'They cuffed me,' he said. 'They put the cuffs on quite hard.' Four other people were arrested at the scene, including Venegas's brother, who is undocumented.
His cousin, Shelah Venegas, posted his arrest clip on social media, writing, "These federal agents without a single cause completely harassed a family member who is a US CITIZEN!!"
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