Army Veteran Files Lawsuit After Alleged Wrongful ICE Detention in California
The facts matter. Here’s what we know so far.
George Retes, a 25-year-old U.S. Army veteran and security guard at a California cannabis facility, says he was apprehended and detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents despite presenting himself as an American citizen. According to a detailed account shared on TMZ Live, Retes was en route to work in Camarillo, northwest of Los Angeles, when ICE officers surrounded his vehicle during a nearby protest last week. He reports that agents shouted conflicting commands, shattered the driver’s side window, and forcibly removed him before giving him a chance to identify himself or show his driver’s license.
Once in custody, Retes was transferred to a federal detention center in downtown Los Angeles where he was placed on suicide watch for three days without a clear explanation for his detention or access to essential services. During that time he claims to have received no legal counsel, no medical evaluation, and no communication with family members. When ICE finally released him, officers confirmed there were no charges pending, handed him back his personal belongings, and left him to arrange his own transportation home.
Legal experts say this incident highlights growing concerns over ICE enforcement practices in California, where the agency reported more than 25,000 detentions last fiscal year. A review of public court documents indicates that at least a dozen U.S. citizens, some of them military veterans, were mistakenly detained by ICE between 2022 and 2024. Immigration attorney Maria Hernandez, who was not involved in Retes’s case but has represented similarly situated clients, notes that “the Fourth Amendment protects all citizens against unreasonable searches and seizures. A demand for accountability is entirely justified.”
Retes plans to file a civil rights lawsuit against ICE, federal officers, and any cooperating local agencies. His legal team is preparing claims under the Federal Tort Claims Act and possible constitutional violations. In a statement to TMZ Live, Retes said, “I served this country and defended our freedoms. I never expected to be manhandled and caged like a criminal on U.S. soil. No one should go through what I experienced.”
Regional ICE spokesperson Sarah Miller responded to inquiries by stating that all detentions undergo internal review, but she declined to comment on pending litigation or specific operational details. The Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General confirmed that it has received a complaint from Retes’s counsel and will conduct a preliminary inquiry.
This case raises critical questions about procedural safeguards and oversight in immigration enforcement, especially when veterans, law enforcement contractors, and other citizens are involved. It also underscores the importance of clear protocols for verifying citizenship status and protecting constitutional rights during high-tension operations. Retes’s forthcoming lawsuit could set a precedent for how ICE handles citizen detentions and may spur legislative interest in reform.
Stay tuned as we track court filings and ICE’s internal review process. More updates will follow as this story develops.
That wraps up today’s analysis.
Sources: Celebrity Storm and TMZ Live, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General
Attribution: Creative Commons Licensed
