A California man who alleges border patrol brokers racially profiled him throughout a cease in June mentioned in a narrative Monday that he feels responsible about voting for President Donald Trump within the final presidential election.
“I actually consider I used to be focused due to my race,” Jason Brian Gavidia informed NBC affiliate KNBC on Monday. “I consider I used to be racially profiled. I consider I used to be attacked as a result of I used to be strolling whereas brown. The place is the liberty? The place is the justice? We stay in America.”
Gavidia is considered one of 5 folks represented in a category motion lawsuit by the ACLU of Southern California accusing the Trump administration of racially profiling folks whereas conducting immigration enforcement actions.
Final month, a federal choose ordered the Trump administration to cease indiscriminate immigration stops and arrests in seven California counties. Nevertheless, the administration petitioned the Supreme Court docket final week to elevate the order.
Carlin Stiehl by way of Getty Photographs
A video taken on June 12 and printed by the Los Angeles Occasions days later reveals two masked border patrol brokers in sun shades pushing Gavidia towards a metallic gated fence exterior a tow yard.
“I’m American, bro,” Gavidia might be heard saying within the video.
“What hospital had been you born in?” an agent yells.
“I don’t know, dawg,” Gavidia responds, earlier than providing to point out his ID.
The lawsuit alleges that border patrol brokers twisted Gavidia’s arm throughout the public questioning and took his telephone.
The border patrol brokers finally let Gavidia go, however he was left traumatized from the expertise.
“Each time I see it on video, it’s like a nasty reminiscence that’s in my mind,” Gavidia informed KNBC.
Homeland Safety Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin has issued a sequence of complicated statements relating to the incident. When reached for remark by the LA Occasions again in June, she claimed Gavidia had been “arrested” for assaulting border patrol brokers.
When the Occasions famous that Gavidia had not been arrested, McLaughlin backtracked, clarifying he had solely been questioned and it was really his pal who was arrested.
On Wednesday, McLaughlin despatched one other conflicting assertion to JHB, claiming Gavidia “was arrested for assaulting a regulation enforcement officer and interfering with brokers throughout their duties.”
JHB has reached out for added clarification.
McLaughlin’s assertion to JHB additionally asserted that “any allegations that people have been ‘focused’ by regulation enforcement due to their pores and skin colour are FALSE.”
Gavidia is considered one of many Trump supporters who nonetheless bought caught up in the president’s ruthless immigration enforcement insurance policies, regardless of voting for him within the final election. He informed KNBC he now feels responsible about his vote within the final election and believes “it was a mistake” as a result of Trump “ran on lies.”
“If this was going to occur, do you suppose we might have voted? We’re people. We’re not going to destroy our group,” Gavidia mentioned. “We’re not going to destroy our folks.”