LOS ANGELES — A congressional field hearing convened in Los Angeles on Nov. 24 brought new public scrutiny to federal immigration enforcement actions under the Trump administration, with witnesses describing wrongful detentions of U.S. citizens, use of force against residents, and actions local officials called unconstitutional and destabilizing for entire neighborhoods.
The “Oversight Shadow Field Hearing,” led by Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Calif., the ranking member of the House Oversight Committee, gathered testimony from local elected officials, faith leaders, labor leaders and residents directly affected by the operations. The hearing focused on documented incidents in Southern California and nationwide in which U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) agents have reportedly detained U.S. citizens, used excessive force, and denied access to counsel and due process.
“Every person in our country has a right to due process, regardless of immigration status,” Garcia said in his opening remarks. “It’s critical that the Oversight Committee document and hold accountable those that are defying the Constitution, violating civil rights and terrorizing families and communities.”
The hearing came as Oversight Committee Democrats unveiled the Oversight Immigration Enforcement Dashboard, a new tool that compiles verified cases of possible misconduct during federal immigration operations. According to Garcia, the dashboard includes incidents substantiated by reputable media outlets or cited in litigation. The committee says more than 170 U.S. citizens have been detained by federal immigration agents during recent enforcement waves.
Witnesses Describe Fear, Trauma, and Disruption
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass called the reports “intolerable,” citing accounts of residents — including U.S. citizens — being “forcibly held, physically attacked, and deprived of their freedom without cause.”
“No community should be made to live in fear of unwarranted persecution,” Bass said. “We will hold every federal agency accountable, and we will relentlessly defend the rights of every resident in Los Angeles — and across this nation.”
Members of Congress from across the country including Los Angeles and Orange County echoed those concerns. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, described what she called “an American nightmare,” pointing to record numbers of deaths in ICE custody and the detention of individuals with no criminal history. Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., said her office has begun actively documenting incidents and following federal agents in the field.
Testimony from local officials detailed how enforcement operations have affected daily life in several Los Angeles neighborhoods. Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez of District 1 described empty grocery stores, fleeing customers, and children hiding in parks as masked federal agents on horseback entered public spaces. She said a legal permanent resident in her district, who had no criminal record, was beaten and detained for three weeks despite repeatedly showing proof of his lawful status.
“These raids are literally undermining public safety,” Hernandez said. “Victims of domestic violence and elder sexual assault are now too afraid to call 9-1-1.”
Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson told the committee that more than 50 Long Beach residents have been detained since June. He described masked agents seizing workers on their way to jobs and parents dropping off children at school.
“This is not public safety. This is racial profiling,” Richardson said. “No civilian community in the United States should be subjected to a paramilitary force patrolling its schools, its parks, and its neighborhoods.”
U.S. Citizens Describe Wrongful Detention
One of the most detailed firsthand accounts came from Los Angeles resident Andrea Velez, a U.S. citizen who described being tackled, handcuffed and held for several days after agents descended on her neighborhood on June 24.
Velez testified that unmarked vehicles “swarmed the streets” and masked men began “chasing and attacking people without identifying themselves as ICE.” She said she requested an officer’s badge and warrant but received no response before being restrained.
“They didn’t believe I was a U.S. citizen or bother to check my ID,” she said.
Velez also described witnessing the detention of another U.S. citizen, Luis Hipolito, who she said was pepper-sprayed and beaten while filming the incident. According to her testimony, his visible medical distress was minimized until he showed signs of shock.
Velez told the committee she was denied access to a phone call or attorney, and her family could not obtain information about her location. She said she was held for two days, and her case was dismissed two weeks later for lack of evidence.
“Since that day, I no longer feel safe,” Velez said, urging Congress to hold ICE and DHS accountable for what she described as the “dehumanizing” treatment of Latino and immigrant communities.
Local and Federal Tensions
There has been tension in Los Angeles since June. Grassroots advocates have raised concerns about coordination between local police and federal immigration agents. Velez testified that after she was detained, her mother and sister called 911, but she said the Los Angeles Police Department assisted federal agents instead of intervening. While the LAPD maintains that it does not enforce federal immigration law, witnesses and advocacy groups alleged that local officers have been present during or adjacent to operations.
Broader Patterns and Next Steps
Committee members and local leaders emphasized that the incidents documented in Los Angeles reflect broader national concerns. Oversight Democrats say they have reviewed hundreds of alleged misconduct cases during which federal agencies have made misleading public statements. Oversight Committee Democrats said DHS has “lied, including under oath,” regarding reports of wrongful detentions and enforcement actions at locations that would typically be restricted such as schools, churches and parks. Garcia and Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., have requested records from DHS on alleged civil rights violations, including prolonged detentions and denial of access to counsel.
“Oversight Democrats will continue to protect the public and defend our Constitution,” Garcia said. “We want to make sure everyone receives their right to due process.”
Garcia said the new dashboard is intended to create a public, searchable record of possible violations.
As federal lawmakers prepare additional hearings in other cities, local leaders in Los Angeles said they are expanding legal defense programs, emergency financial assistance, and community-based support networks to respond to the ongoing disruption.
“People don’t just bounce back,” Hernandez said. “Behind every detention is a ripple of trauma that never leaves a community.”
