U.S. citizen with disabilities left with broken wrist after ICE stop in California

A 20-year-old U.S. citizen with disabilities was pinned to the ground by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents on Oct. 21 while walking to his high school in Santa Maria, California. His wrist was broken and later needed surgery, according to The Guardian ¹. California leaders are condemning the incident as racial profiling and calling for an investigation ¹.

Erik Zepeda has disabilities that affect his reflexes and his ability to speak. He told the Guardian in writing that he was "walking to school the same way I do every day" when agents tackled and handcuffed him ¹.

What a witness and video show

A volunteer ICE-watch observer told the Guardian that masked agents approached Zepeda from behind, pinned him face-down and put him in a car. The agents drove him around for a while and then let him out ¹. With a black eye and a badly hurting wrist, he walked the last half mile to school, where staff called an ambulance ¹.

The Guardian reviewed the observer's dashcam and phone videos. They do not show the whole encounter, but they show Zepeda face-down on the grass with two officers restraining him and three more arriving to help handcuff him ¹. A voice can be heard shouting, "You're hurting me." ¹

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The observer said that in the 10 to 20 seconds not captured on video, Zepeda did not appear to resist ¹. In the 20 minutes before, the same agents had stopped two other drivers and let them go, the observer said. One driver can be heard saying, "I'm a US citizen." ¹

ICE disputes the account

An ICE spokesperson told the Guardian that officers were running a "targeted enforcement operation" and believed Zepeda matched the description of their target. The spokesperson said he resisted and that the officers' use of force was justified ¹. ICE also said claims of broken bones are "FALSE" and that he never asked for medical help ¹².

Zepeda's attorneys, two former federal prosecutors now at the legal group Democracy Forward, say his hospital discharge records confirm surgery for a fractured wrist. They accuse ICE of issuing "a false public statement to cover it up" ¹. They say they plan to pursue the case in court ¹.

Democrats demand accountability

Sen. Adam Schiff, a California Democrat, called the assault "grotesque and heartbreaking" and said there must be accountability ¹. Rep. Salud Carbajal, a Democrat whose district includes Santa Maria, wrote to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and ICE on Oct. 29 asking for "a full, transparent investigation" ¹.

Carbajal also said he had "serious concerns that a growing number of individuals are being targeted based on their race." As of Nov. 2, DHS had not responded to his request, the Santa Barbara Independent reported ².

Santa Maria's police chief said an investigation is ongoing and that he reported the incident to the county district attorney, the California Department of Justice and DHS. The district attorney called it "deeply troubling" ¹. On Oct. 30, students at Santa Maria and Lompoc high schools walked out in support of Zepeda ².

Why it matters

Two days after the incident, a federal judge blocked agents in the Central District of California from stopping people solely because they appear "low-income or working-class and Latino." The Trump administration has appealed ¹. Days before Zepeda was stopped, agents also broke the arm of Ricardo Gonzalez, another U.S. citizen, in Long Beach ¹.

That matters because Democratic lawmakers are pressing for accountability over ICE. A case with video, a medical record and a conflicting agency statement is the kind of dispute that subpoenaed testimony could settle. For now, the facts above rest on a witness, videos, hospital records and ICE's denial, and the courts have not ruled on them.

The Record

1. Oct 21, 2026ICE agents detain Erik Zepeda on his way to school in Santa Maria, California; his wrist is later operated on ¹.
2. Oct 23, 2026A federal judge blocks stops based solely on appearing low-income or working-class and Latino across California's Central District; the administration appeals ¹.
3. Oct 29, 2026Rep. Salud Carbajal asks DHS and ICE for a full, transparent investigation ¹.
4. Oct 30, 2026Students at Santa Maria and Lompoc high schools walk out in solidarity with Zepeda ².

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<h2>U.S. citizen with disabilities left with broken wrist after ICE stop in California</h2> <p><em>By The GOP Files National Desk. This article first appeared on <a href="https://thegopfiles.com/story/u-s-citizen-with-disabilities-left-with-broken-wrist-after-ice-stop-in-california">The GOP Files</a> on Thursday, November 5, 2026.</em></p> <p>A 20-year-old U.S. citizen with disabilities was pinned to the ground by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents on Oct. 21 while walking to his high school in Santa Maria, California. His wrist was broken and later needed surgery, according to The Guardian . California leaders are condemning the incident as racial profiling and calling for an investigation .</p> <p>Erik Zepeda has disabilities that affect his reflexes and his ability to speak. He told the Guardian in writing that he was &quot;walking to school the same way I do every day&quot; when agents tackled and handcuffed him .</p> <h2>What a witness and video show</h2> <p>A volunteer ICE-watch observer told the Guardian that masked agents approached Zepeda from behind, pinned him face-down and put him in a car. The agents drove him around for a while and then let him out . With a black eye and a badly hurting wrist, he walked the last half mile to school, where staff called an ambulance .</p> <p>The Guardian reviewed the observer&#39;s dashcam and phone videos. They do not show the whole encounter, but they show Zepeda face-down on the grass with two officers restraining him and three more arriving to help handcuff him . A voice can be heard shouting, &quot;You&#39;re hurting me.&quot;</p> <p>The observer said that in the 10 to 20 seconds not captured on video, Zepeda did not appear to resist . In the 20 minutes before, the same agents had stopped two other drivers and let them go, the observer said. One driver can be heard saying, &quot;I&#39;m a US citizen.&quot;</p> <h2>ICE disputes the account</h2> <p>An ICE spokesperson told the Guardian that officers were running a &quot;targeted enforcement operation&quot; and believed Zepeda matched the description of their target. The spokesperson said he resisted and that the officers&#39; use of force was justified . ICE also said claims of broken bones are &quot;FALSE&quot; and that he never asked for medical help .</p> <p>Zepeda&#39;s attorneys, two former federal prosecutors now at the legal group Democracy Forward, say his hospital discharge records confirm surgery for a fractured wrist. They accuse ICE of issuing &quot;a false public statement to cover it up&quot; . They say they plan to pursue the case in court .</p> <h2>Democrats demand accountability</h2> <p>Sen. Adam Schiff, a California Democrat, called the assault &quot;grotesque and heartbreaking&quot; and said there must be accountability . Rep. Salud Carbajal, a Democrat whose district includes Santa Maria, wrote to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and ICE on Oct. 29 asking for &quot;a full, transparent investigation&quot; .</p> <p>Carbajal also said he had &quot;serious concerns that a growing number of individuals are being targeted based on their race.&quot; As of Nov. 2, DHS had not responded to his request, the Santa Barbara Independent reported .</p> <p>Santa Maria&#39;s police chief said an investigation is ongoing and that he reported the incident to the county district attorney, the California Department of Justice and DHS. The district attorney called it &quot;deeply troubling&quot; . On Oct. 30, students at Santa Maria and Lompoc high schools walked out in support of Zepeda .</p> <h2>Why it matters</h2> <p>Two days after the incident, a federal judge blocked agents in the Central District of California from stopping people solely because they appear &quot;low-income or working-class and Latino.&quot; The Trump administration has appealed . Days before Zepeda was stopped, agents also broke the arm of Ricardo Gonzalez, another U.S. citizen, in Long Beach .</p> <p>That matters because Democratic lawmakers are pressing for accountability over ICE. A case with video, a medical record and a conflicting agency statement is the kind of dispute that subpoenaed testimony could settle. For now, the facts above rest on a witness, videos, hospital records and ICE&#39;s denial, and the courts have not ruled on them.</p> <p><em>Read the original, with every source linked, at <a href="https://thegopfiles.com/story/u-s-citizen-with-disabilities-left-with-broken-wrist-after-ice-stop-in-california">thegopfiles.com</a>. Republished under The GOP Files' <a href="https://thegopfiles.com/republish">free republishing terms</a>.</em></p> <img src="https://thegopfiles.com/api/rp/u-s-citizen-with-disabilities-left-with-broken-wrist-after-ice-stop-in-california.gif" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="border:0;width:1px;height:1px">

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Sources

1. The Guardian, “Outcry after ICE violently detains US citizen walking to high school: 'I thought they were going to kill me'” (2026-11-05). theguardian.com/us-news/2026/nov/05/ice-california-detention
2. Santa Barbara Independent, “Santa Barbara County students stage walkouts, congressmember calls for investigation amid ICE surge” (2026-11-02). independent.com/2026/11/02/santa-barbara-county-students-sta

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