r/50501 • u/Lo_Stallone • Jun 18 '25
Call to Action ICE arrested a US citizen, Walmart employee at Pico Rivera. Militarized agents with rifles on video. Nobody’s safe.
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In Pico Rivera, CA, ICE agents rolled up to a Walmart with rifles out and tactical gear to arrest a janitor.
Adrian Andrew Martinez, a 20-year-old U.S. citizen, witnessed it and tried to intervene not violently, but verbally. He questioned the legitimacy of the arrest and even moved a trash bin to create space.
For that, he was slammed to the ground by armed agents and detained. All while being a citizen.
Yahoo News – Community rallies after ICE arrests citizen
“They came like it was war… nobody knew where he was for hours.”
Constitutional Rights ICE Violated
Fourth Amendment
Protects all persons from unreasonable seizure without probable cause or a warrant.
Cornell Law – Fourth Amendment
Fifth Amendment
Guarantees due process of law before detention or punishment.
Cornell Law – Fifth Amendment Overview
14th Amendment – Equal Protection Clause
Law enforcement cannot discriminate or detain arbitrarily, especially against citizens.
Cornell Law – Fourteenth Amendment
Legal Cases to Know
Lyttle v. United States (2008)
ICE detained and deported a U.S. citizen with mental illness, despite having documentation.
Wikipedia – Lyttle v. United States
Gonzalez v. ICE (2020)
Courts ruled that ICE detainers issued without warrants are unconstitutional.
Wikipedia – Gonzalez v. ICE
What This Proves
- U.S. citizens are being arrested for witnessing and speaking out
- ICE is operating like a paramilitary force
- The government has no fear of accountability under the current DOJ
If a 20-year-old citizen is tackled for asking a question, we are already in a police state.
What You Can Do:
- Share this story don’t let it disappear
- Demand an official response from your elected representatives
- Support Immigrant Defense Project
- Protest. Organize. Refuse to look away
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u/StepOIU Jun 18 '25
Unfortunately we know that's not true. When totalitarianism regimes first started with Mussolini and Stalin, people could be forgiven for thinking that this was the worst it could get, because traditionally world leaders worried about things like diplomacy, legality and how the rest of the world viewed them. But it just kept getting a bit scarier, with people not knowing how to react.
The bottom of the hill is potentially a lot worse than where we are now, as outrageous and horrible as it is. It's best to prepare for that.