Los Angeles Car Wash Owner Sues Government for $50 Million After ICE Raid

• California Car Wash Owner Sues
• ICE Accused of Excessive Force
• Case Rekindles Immigration Debate

A 79-year-old U.S. citizen claims he lived through one of the worst experiences of his life during an immigration raid in California.

The man, owner of a car wash in Van Nuys, says he was thrown to the ground, handcuffed, and held for nearly 12 hours—despite not facing any criminal charges.

He is now demanding $50 million in damages from the federal government.

Immigration Raids in California Spark Lawsuit

The Complaint by Rafie Ollah Shouhed

Rafie Ollah Shouhed alleges he suffered broken ribs and a traumatic brain injury after being violently slammed to the ground by masked agents.

According to his lawyer, the September 9 incident not only endangered his life but also violated fundamental rights.

Civil rights attorney V. James DeSimone stated: “Agents violated the Constitution, California’s civil rights law, and basic human decency.”

Shouhed explained that he stepped out of his business to show proof that his employees were authorized to work when he was insulted, shoved, and “violently thrown onto the pavement,” according to the legal filing.

Three agents restrained him, handcuffed him, and kept him in custody even though he repeatedly warned that he had recently undergone heart surgery.

Direct Testimony and Medical Consequences

Rafie Ollah Shouhed was never charged with a crime but spent nearly half a day detained at a Los Angeles facility without the chance to call his family.

After his release, he was taken to the hospital with fractured ribs, symptoms of a traumatic brain injury, and extensive bruising on his arms and elbows.

In an interview with NBC4 Los Angeles, Shouhed expressed his disbelief: “I thought this was a good country, a decent country. Why would they do something like this to you?”

His lawyer added that the assault could have ended fatally: “Shouhed could have died in this incident.”

Government Response

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reported that the September 9 operation in Van Nuys resulted in the detention of five undocumented immigrants.

According to the official statement, Rafie Ollah Shouhed was arrested for “assaulting and impeding a federal officer,” though he was later released without charges.

Despite this, DeSimone strongly criticized the authorities’ conduct:

“The video shows how ICE operates in our community. They use physical force and don’t talk to people to determine who is legally present. Instead, they immediately resort to violence.”

Context of ICE Raids in California

This case comes amid intensified immigration raids in Southern California under the Trump administration.

Following a Supreme Court ruling that lifted restrictions, DHS promised to “flood the Los Angeles area.”

Meanwhile, families of other U.S. citizens have filed lawsuits over arbitrary detentions and alleged “unconstitutional racial profiling.”

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The story of Rafie Ollah Shouhed reflects the tension surrounding immigration operations in the U.S., where citizens and legal residents also end up affected by actions that civil rights advocates argue exceed legal boundaries.

This ICE raid lawsuit in California raises a critical question: How far can federal authorities go in enforcing immigration policy without violating human rights?

Do you believe these raids put U.S. citizens’ civil liberties at risk?

SOURCE: The Guardian