# Outcry after ICE violently detains US citizen walking to high school: ‘I thought they were going to kill me’

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/outcry-after-ice-violently-detains-us-citizen-walking-to-high-school-i-thought-they-were-going-to-kill-me/
- Published: 2026-11-05T12:00:22+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-05T12:25:23+00:00
- Original publisher: The Guardian (publisher lean: Left)
- Original article: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/nov/05/ice-california-detention-santa-maria
- Topics: Americas, Politics, World

## Key points

- ICE detained Erik Zepeda while he was walking to school.
- He suffered a broken wrist requiring surgery.
- Local and state authorities are investigating the incident.

## Summary

ICE agents detained Erik Zepeda, a 20-year-old US citizen with disabilities, as he walked to high school in Santa Maria, California, on 21 October. He says he was tackled and handcuffed, and later found to have a broken wrist that required surgery; the incident has prompted allegations of racial profiling and calls for accountability.

A witness and videos reviewed by the Guardian indicate masked agents pinned Zepeda face-down, drove him around and then released him. He walked to school with a black eye and wrist pain, and staff called an ambulance. Local police say an investigation is ongoing, while California lawmakers have urged a transparent inquiry; the detention comes amid increased ICE activity in the state and other reported hospitalisations.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.