ICU nurse Amanda Trebach arrested while documenting immigration enforcement, released without charges
Aug 9, 2025·Location: San Pedro, CA

Amanda Trebach, a registered nurse and U.S. citizen working in intensive care units serving low-income communities in Watts, Compton, and South Central Los Angeles, was arrested by federal agents on August 8, 2025, while documenting immigration enforcement operations at Terminal Island in San Pedro as a volunteer with Harbor Area Peace Patrol and Unión del Barrio. Video evidence shows masked federal agents pinning her face-down to the pavement, kneeling on her head, handcuffing her, and placing her into an unmarked van. CBP accused her of jumping in front of vehicles and obstructing federal agents; witnesses and video disputed these allegations. Trebach, whose cell phone was confiscated without a search warrant, says agents did not identify themselves and told her to stop photographing. She spent approximately one day in federal custody at the Metropolitan Detention Center in downtown Los Angeles before being released without criminal charges. Her release followed demonstrations at the detention center and calls from local elected leaders, including Councilmember Tim McOsker, who characterized the arrest as "apparently illegal and unconstitutional." National Nurses United, representing 225,000 registered nurses, celebrated her release. Trebach has continued documenting immigration enforcement operations and has been working to protect migrant patients from immigration raids; she reports that migrants in her community are now avoiding hospitals out of fear of encountering immigration enforcement.
Timeline
Sources
- L.A. volunteers who document ICE raids are being arrested. How to do it safely
Los Angeles Times·Aug 13, 2025·archived copy
- As Immigration Crackdown Expands, Citizen Activists Observe and Report
- Amanda Trebach: Los Angeles nurse released from ICE custody
- KTLA
- Los Angeles nurse released from ICE custody without charges
Yahoo News·Aug 11, 2025·archived copy
- NNU statement on release of Los Angeles RN from ICE custody
nationalnursesunited.org·Aug 10, 2025·archived copy
- 'No due process': L.A. nurse, veteran among citizens forcefully arrested by ICE amid immigration crackdown | CBC News
cbc.ca·Nov 1, 2025·archived copy
- 'There's no due process': ICU nurse, army veteran among U.S. citizens caught in ICE dragnet
- 'They’re trying to intimidate us, but it’s not working': Amanda Trebach on her arrest by federal immigration agents
thesouthlander.com·Sep 4, 2025·archived copy
- Arresta Patrulla Fronteriza a enfermera que hacía patrullaje comunitario contra redadas - La Opinión
laopinion.com·Aug 9, 2025·archived copy
More incidents in California
- Irvine special education teacher detained at LAX, transferred to Adelanto ICE facilityOct 6, 2026 · Los Angeles, CA
- Former DACA recipient dies of sepsis after Adelanto ICE staff ignored infection, family suesOct 3, 2026 · Adelanto, CA
- Senator tours SFO airport holding room, cites prolonged ICE detentionsOct 1, 2026 · San Francisco, CA
- Mexican man captured by drone-tracking agents in Buena Park fraud sweepOct 1, 2026 · Buena Park, CA
- Irish man detained at airport deported to UK before bond hearingSep 30, 2026 · San Jose, CA
- Ghanaian respiratory therapist chained and detained at SFO gate over visa overstaySep 30, 2026 · San Francisco, CA