Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials and Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-CA) publicly clashed following a recent enforcement operation in Carpinteria, California, which resulted in dozens of arrests and the rescue of migrant children.
The confrontation escalated when ICE accused Carbajal of doxing an ICE agent during the protest—an action the agency claims led to the agent being injured.
Last week, Carbajal took to X to sharply criticize ICE’s tactics during the operation.
He alleged that agents used militarized and unnecessarily aggressive methods against local farmworkers and peaceful protesters.
Carbajal also emphasized his congressional oversight role but claimed he was denied access to observe the enforcement activities.
ICE pushed back on these claims, describing Carbajal as part of a violent mob that interfered with law enforcement efforts.
According to the agency, Carbajal was among protesters who threw rocks at officers executing a search warrant at a marijuana cultivation facility.
During the altercation, one ICE agent sustained a serious laceration to his left hand that required emergency room treatment.
A press release from the agency included photographs documenting the extent of the agent’s injuries.
In addition, ICE accused Carbajal of doxxing the injured agent by displaying his business card to the crowd—an