An employee of the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office was wrongfully detained by federal immigration agents on Friday, according to an internal email obtained by the Los Angeles Times.
District Attorney Nathan Hochman called the incident “unacceptable,” saying the employee was quickly released and is safe. In a memo to staff, Hochman said the detention caused distress for the employee, their family, and coworkers, and stressed the worker is a dedicated public servant.
The reason for the detention has not been explained. Hochman’s office referred questions to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which did not respond. Law enforcement sources say the employee was not a prosecutor and was not involved in any protest activity.
The incident comes amid heightened scrutiny of immigration raids carried out under Donald Trump. Civil liberties groups, including the American Civil Liberties Union, have accused federal agents of making racially based stops. A federal judge previously found evidence of Fourth Amendment violations during immigration operations in Los Angeles County.
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