How the arrest happened
Observer following agents' vehicles
A person following, tailing or driving behind ICE or Border Patrol vehicles in a car to watch or film them (a rapid-response volunteer, neighbor, or journalist) was boxed in, pulled over, beaten, pepper-sprayed, detained, arrested, or otherwise harmed by officers while doing so.
Documented in 10 states. Every well-documented story coded this way, grouped by state. See what accompanies it →
California
Madison C. and Adiline T.: Two ICE watchdog volunteers arrested by Santa Ana police, remain in custodyMadison Crabill, 25, and Adiline Tonoco, 33, volunteers who monitor ICE activity for Lucha Orange, were arrested after agents accused them of following their vehicle near La Habra. Both remain jailed on multiple charges.“We have always tried to teach our children right from wrong and ive never been prouder of my daughter standing for constitutional rights for all of us” — John CrabillSanta Ana, CA · Oct 14, 2026 · NBC Los Angeles, CBS News
Leonardo M.: U.S. citizen rammed by ICE in Simi Valley, hospitalized while handcuffedLeonardo Espartaco Martinez, a U.S. citizen and community watcher, was hospitalized after agents rammed his minivan and dragged him out in Simi Valley, injuring his knees, shoulders and wrists. It was the third time his vehicle was rammed.Simi Valley, CA · Mar 10, 2026 · LA Taco, Left News
Anna W.: Woman who filmed HSI agent has Global Entry revoked days laterAnna Walker, 31, had her Global Entry status revoked days after filming a Homeland Security agent who confronted her in a Target parking lot; it was restored after press inquiries.San Diego, CA · Feb 25, 2026 · HuffPost, Small Business Minder, AOL +2
Sol: Woman recording ICE agent in Santa Ana has gun pointed at herSol, a community watch member, was filming what looked like an ICE vehicle in Santa Ana when the agent pointed his gun directly at her. A nearby Fullerton police officer did not intervene, saying no crime had occurred.Santa Ana, CA · Nov 9, 2025 · LA Taco, Orange County Register, LAist +3
Woman recording plainclothes agent in Fullerton has weapon pulled on herA plainclothes federal agent pulled his weapon on a woman who was following and recording him at a Fullerton intersection, until a passing local police officer intervened.Fullerton, CA · November 2025 · ACLU, The Guardian, CBS News
Three women charged for documenting ICE agent on community patrolThree women, including Akalei Brown and Cynthia Saragoza, were charged after documenting an ICE agent during a community patrol, facing possible sentences over 10 years. One of them remains detained in Los Angeles awaiting trial.Los Angeles, CA · Aug 3, 2025 · Baldwin Park News Online, Los Angeles Times
Jose C.: U.S. citizen documenting Sacramento Home Depot raid detained by Border PatrolJose Castillo, a U.S. citizen volunteering to monitor immigration enforcement, was detained after Border Patrol accused him of damaging a tire during a Sacramento Home Depot raid that arrested 11 undocumented immigrants. He was later released.Sacramento, CA · Jul 17, 2025 · Sacramento Bee, KCRA
Colorado
Illinois
Oak Park attorney detained by ICE outside elementary schoolAn Oak Park civil litigation attorney was arrested outside his child's elementary school after honking and whistling to flag an unmarked ICE van. He was held about an hour and later released near the school.Oak Park, IL · Oct 20, 2025 · Oak Park River Forest Patch, FOX 32 Chicago
Evelyn: 18-year-old U.S. citizen held down by ICE officer's knee on her neckEvelyn, an 18-year-old U.S. citizen, was thrown to the ground and knelt on by an ICE officer on October 10 while screaming she was a citizen; DHS falsely denied the video showed her.“They were telling them they were U.S. citizens, and they didn't care. It was very scary to see that video,” — Jazmin, Evelyn's motherChicago, IL · Oct 15, 2025 · The Daily Beast, CBS News, PolitiFact +2
Maine
Minnesota
Becky R.: Mother of seven arrested by ICE while observing enforcement operation in MinnesotaBecky Ringstrom, 42, a mother of seven, was arrested while watching an ICE operation near her Minneapolis-area home and following agents' vehicle at a distance. She was cited for allegedly impeding law enforcement.Minneapolis, Minnesota · Feb 10, 2026 · Arizona Daily Sun, AOL, Detroit News +7
Minneapolis ICE watchers face teargas, arrests while documenting agentsLegal observers in Minneapolis have faced teargas and arrests while documenting ICE operations, including when border patrol agents arrested two teenagers after a car crash on January 21. They say they will keep showing up.Minneapolis, MN · Jan 13, 2026 · CBS News, Star Tribune, The Guardian +2Ryan E.: U.S. citizen realtor detained by ICE for 10 hours after recording agentsRyan Ecklund, a U.S. citizen and Twin Cities realtor, was held about 10 hours after recording ICE agents from his car, which he says ended in a chokehold. He was released without charges.Woodbury, MN · Jan 13, 2026 · AOL, CBS News, ABC News
Two U.S. citizens who monitor ICE held without charge in MinneapolisTwo Minneapolis residents who monitor immigration officers were held by ICE for hours without charge or phone access, and pressured to identify protest organizers and undocumented immigrants.Minneapolis, MN · Jan 13, 2026 · Associated Press, CBS News, KVPR
Brandon S.: Legal observer pepper-sprayed and detained 8 hours while recording ICE in MinneapolisVolunteer legal observer Brandon Sigüenza was pepper-sprayed and held for eight hours while documenting ICE activity near Minneapolis's Whipple Federal Building, then released without charges.Minneapolis, MN · Jan 11, 2026 · Slate, Star Tribune, Anchorage Daily News +3
John B. and Janet L.: Married couple threatened at gunpoint while following ICE vehicleJohn Biestman and Janet Lee, a married couple in their late 60s, had guns pointed at them after following an ICE vehicle from a December 7 church raid in Richfield.Richfield, MN · Dec 7, 2025 · Minnesota Reformer, ACLU, ACLU of Minnesota- Lucia W.: Woman boxed in by ICE agents while following vehicles, threatened with arrestLucia Webb, 31, of Minneapolis followed ICE vehicles to a park-and-ride in December when officers boxed in and surrounded her car, threatening arrest. She is now a plaintiff in an ACLU lawsuit over the incident.Minneapolis, MN · Dec 3, 2025 · Minnesota Reformer, ACLU, ACLU of Minnesota
Nicole C.: Legal observer loses Global Entry after watching ICE agentsNicole Cleland, a Minnesota legal observer monitoring ICE activity, had her Global Entry and TSA PreCheck revoked three days after agents said they identified her using facial recognition.Richfield, MN · Jan 10, 2025 · Ars Technica, Benzatine, SFGate
New Jersey
New York
North Carolina
Oregon
Isaias S.E.: 20-year-old U.S. citizen detained by ICE during Yamhill County sweepsIsaias Eduardo Soto Elias, a 20-year-old U.S. citizen, was detained by Border Patrol agents in Yamhill County and taken in for investigation after allegedly following federal agents in his vehicle.Yamhill County, OR · Nov 21, 2025 · KATU, KYAQ, Chron
Berenice G.H.: U.S. citizen detained 7 hours by ICE after photographing agents' license platesBerenice Garcia-Hernandez, 25, a U.S. citizen, was held for about seven hours after photographing unmarked ICE vehicles near a Gresham, Oregon, Chick-fil-A. Agents broke her car window and pulled her out; no charges were filed.Gresham, OR · Nov 3, 2025 · The Oregonian, Chron, Change.org +2
