Journalist Ricardo Parias Remains in ICE Detention After Shooting and Legal Battles

On June 13, 2025, Carlitos Ricardo Parias arrived at an immigration raid in South Los Angeles to film. A federal agent struck him with a vehicle, handcuffed him, and left him on a sidewalk without medical aid. After a Good Samaritan drove him to a hospital, agents briefly intervened but allowed him to leave still handcuffed. Four months later, unmarked vehicles surrounded his car near downtown Los Angeles; an agent shot Parias in the elbow while he tried to accelerate away. The incident led to his hospitalization, a criminal charge of assault on a federal officer, and his transfer to an ICE detention center in Adelanto, California. Approaching 300 days in ICE custody, Parias continues to be held despite his injuries.

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Prosecutors pursued the assault charge, but the judge learned that Parias was denied the prescribed ibuprofen for his gunshot wound and that a U.S. marshal refused both pain medication and a brief hug from Parias’s teenage son. After the marshal also denied the son’s request, the judge ordered the marshal to expedite medical care, which was still not provided. Ultimately, the judge dismissed all criminal charges with prejudice, citing violations of Parias’s constitutional rights. Although bond was offered, accepting it would have transferred him to immigration custody, which he declined; nevertheless, authorities moved him to Adelanto. Deportation proceedings remain pending.

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While detained, Parias has documented severe facility conditions, including worm-infested drinking water and pervasive cockroach infestations. His reporting, shared via video from visitors, has drawn national attention. Rep. She has introduced legislation aimed at preventing medical neglect in immigration detention facilities.

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U.S. The post included a single screenshot from mall surveillance, while the full footage has not been released. In contrast, Rep. Kamlager-Dove’s on-site remarks highlighted the inadequate medical care and prompted a legislative proposal to address such neglect.

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• “What I saw looked like an arm that was on the verge of being amputated,” — Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove

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