ICE is now arresting community advocates documenting immigration raids

U.S. citizens and community advocates documenting enforcement operations are being increasingly targeted for arrest by federal immigration agents.

Case in point: Los Angeles ICU nurse Amanda Trebach became the latest example when masked federal agents violently arrested her Friday morning while she participated in Harbor Area Peace Patrol documentation of ICE activity in Terminal Island. Video footage shows two plainclothes agents forcing her to the ground, with one briefly placing his knee on her head as witnesses screamed in panic. She was then forced into an unmarked black van by at least six unidentified agents who also seized her backpack from her vehicle without a warrant, according to her supporters.

Trebach was released Saturday without criminal charges after intense community pressure generated over 500 calls to the detention facility. A Customs and Border Protection spokesperson claimed she “jumped in front of moving vehicles” and hit cars “with her signs and fists while yelling obscenities at agents,” but supporters say agents swerved toward the group and she dropped her poster.

Why this matters: Trebach’s arrest highlights broader concerns for Asian American communities, particularly given Terminal Island’s historical significance. The area was once a thriving Japanese American fishing village demolished during World War II, with its residents forcibly sent to incarceration camps.

As healthcare workers like Trebach increasingly serve vulnerable immigrant communities, their documentation efforts become critical for protection from raids that create public health emergencies, while federal targeting of these advocates echoes historical patterns of surveilling and silencing Asian American communities who dare to witness government overreach.

What you can do: Community members have constitutional First Amendment rights to observe and record immigration enforcement in public spaces, but advocates stress doing so safely without interfering with operations. One notable group is the Community Self Defense Coalition, which has expanded to more than 70 organizations training volunteers across Los Angeles County, ensuring rapid response capabilities. Organizations such as Unión del Barrio, CHIRLA and IDEPSCA also offer training sessions on documentation techniques, legal rights and rapid response coordination.

In a statement, the National Nurses United said Trebach’s release “is a testament to the power of organizing resistance and solidarity against the ongoing attacks by the Trump administration.”