US Army vet sues Pennsylvania police over ICE protest arrest

A Filipino American and Mexican American business owner filed a federal lawsuit last week against Pennsylvania police following his arrest during a protest against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in July.

What happened: Isaac Elias, 43, witnessed ICE agents arrest 12 Latino people during a “saturation patrol” in Ambridge near a market that sells Latin American products on July 31. He alerted Casa San Jose, a Pittsburgh-based advocacy organization, which mobilized approximately 40 volunteer observers to the scene.

After federal agents finished their operation at around 10:40 p.m., Elias retrieved a protest sign from his vehicle that read “No Justice, No Peace” and began walking the perimeter of the Ambridge Police Department while chanting “Shame!” He intended to complete seven laps around the building in reference to a biblical story, but officers stopped him by seizing both arms and placing him in handcuffs. Katherine Melson, 45, a registered nurse who was among the observers, was arrested minutes later and also filed a suit last week.

His allegations: Elias’ complaint, which was filed last Wednesday in federal court, alleges unlawful detention, malicious prosecution and First Amendment violations. The suit describes how Sgt. Sokheng Seng forcibly pulled Elias’ arm beyond its natural range of motion, resulting in pain and emotional harm. Police reportedly held Elias for about 18 hours on charges of disorderly conduct related to unreasonable noise and resisting arrest. A district judge dismissed all charges last month after Elias fulfilled 25 hours of community service. His legal complaint also addresses property seizure, alleging police confiscated his protest sign from 2020 and never returned it.

In explaining his decision to sue, Elias told Public Source, “It’s important that somebody helps to keep the law enforcement folks within the law,” adding that “people that do [go to protests] should be able to exercise their rights.”

Why this matters: Civil liberties advocates have raised concerns about the case. For one, ACLU of Pennsylvania officials said the arrests appeared to target individuals solely for documenting and critiquing law enforcement tactics, which are activities protected under the Constitution. The Ambridge operation came amid a sharp increase in nationwide arrests amid President Donald Trump’s intensified immigration crackdown. For Elias, a U.S. Army veteran with deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, the case carries broader significance beyond his personal experience. According to his lawsuit and public statements, he views the arrests as part of a pattern affecting those who lack the ability to challenge police conduct.

Elias has demanded a jury trial and is pursuing both compensatory and punitive damages.