A neighborhood in North Long Beach garnered national attention this past week after U.S. immigration officers detained local resident and U.S. citizen Ricardo Gonzalez, apparently breaking his arm in the process — though the federal government disputed that account.
This incident further enflamed ongoing concerns for Long Beach immigrants as residents, community groups and local advocacy organizations spoke against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement ramping up efforts across the region and the state.
Elected officials also came out condemned ICE agents’ actions last week in Long Beach – and in other cities since then as well.
Residents and organizations, though, have also been asking local officials to take more action to protect the immigrant community for months.
Gonzalez was reportedly struck by an unmarked federal vehicle on Saturday, Oct. 17, while riding an electric bicycle in North Long Beach, according to elected officials and community members at the scene. He was with two shots from an electric Taser-type weapon, pinned to the ground and left with a broken arm, according to a congressional letter of the incident, as well as video footage. The Department of Homeland Security, however, said Gonzalez committed vandalism, which was why he was detained; DHS also defended the actions of its agents as appropriate.
The incident occurred near 56th Street and Elm Avenue, where video circulated by the advocacy group StopICE.net showed masked federal agents restraining Gonzalez on the ground as he repeatedly cried out for help. In the video, Gonzalez can be heard saying his arm was broken.
“Everybody confirmed pretty quickly that there were four ICE vehicles stationed in the neighborhood,” said Long Beach resident Sherman Austin, founder of the StopICE.net platform. “We sent out alerts; I sent out alerts on StopICE.net to let the community know, and people sent out alerts on social media.”
ICE vehicles were speeding through the residential area, Austin said in an interview, and even going the opposite direction on a one-way street.
Security camera footage, obtained by independent local news outlet Long Beach Watchdog, shows the moment an unmarked federal vehicle strikes Gonzalez before agents restrained him.
Elected officials also accused the agents, who have not been identified, of failing to provide appropriate medical assistance despite Gonzalez’s apparent injuries.
This week, California lawmakers called for an independent investigation into federal immigration agents’ use of force against Gonzalez. Rep. Nanette Barragán, D-San Pedro, joined California Sens. Adam Schiff and Alex Padilla, and Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Long Beach, in sending a letter to Department of Homeland Security Inspector General Joseph Cuffari on Wednesday, Oct. 21, seeking an investigation into the incident involving Gonzalez.
“ICE agents are not above the law,” Barragán said in a statement on Wednesday. “These ICE agents appear to be going after someone in North Long Beach simply for being Latino. We need an independent investigation, immediate accountability and answers for the people of Long Beach.”
Barragán, Schiff, Padilla and Garcia asked the DHS inspector general to examine whether agents’ actions complied with federal law, including the justification for each use of force and whether Gonzalez received appropriate medical attention.
The lawmakers also want investigators to determine whether other residents were stopped, detained or subjected to force during the broader immigration enforcement operation; and whether racial profiling or other improper considerations played a role. They called for the agents involved to be removed from field enforcement duties while the investigation proceeds.
The letter also requests preservation of body-camera footage, surveillance recordings, vehicle recordings, operational plans, incident reports, and communications among agents and supervisors. The lawmakers asked that any potential civil rights violations or criminal misconduct be referred to the Department of Justice. They further requested that DHS publicly release investigative findings and information about any substantiated violations or disciplinary action to the fullest extent permitted by law.
The letter asked for written acknowledgment from the inspector general within 48 hours and an outline of investigative steps and interim actions within seven days. It was unknown whether the inspector general had responded, as of Friday.
The congressional letter follows a request by Mayor Rex Richardson for an independent investigation into the encounter.
Richardson – in a social media statement – said ICE does not belong in Long Beach. Federal immigration activity undermines community safety and public trust, he said, and no family should have to live in fear in their own neighborhood. On Monday, Richardson submitted a formal complaint to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security demanding accountability for the actions of federal agents in Long Beach.
“On Saturday, Ricardo Gonzalez, a Long Beach resident, father and former city employee, was injured during an encounter with federal agents. What happened to Ricardo is outrageous and unacceptable,” Richardson said in his statement. “Long Beach will not stay silent when our neighbors are harmed. A federal badge is not a license to brutalize people or disregard their constitutional rights. If you are entrusted with enforcing the law, you must answer to it.
“We need ICE out of Long Beach,” Richardson added. “Our neighborhoods should be places where families feel safe, not where they live in fear of federal enforcement operations.”
The mayor’s letter also demanded an independent investigation into the incident and broader operation, the immediate removal of the agents involved from field duties, and a public accounting of the findings.
Federal officials, however, have disputed the allegations that agents struck Gonzalez with a vehicle, saying he was arrested after damaging a government vehicle.
A DHS spokesperson disputed allegations of excessive force, telling ABC News that ICE officers “followed their training and used the minimum amount of force” during the encounter. DHS also denied that agents struck a person riding a bicycle.
“An individual was arrested after he smashed the mirror of a government vehicle,” DHS said in a Tuesday statement, adding that federal authorities were investigating potential charges involving damage to a government vehicle.
“ICE did NOT hit an individual on a bike,” DHS added in a Thursday statement to the Press-Telegram. “An individual was arrested after he smashed the mirror of a government vehicle. Resisting arrest is dangerous and can result in injury.”
The Long Beach Police Department said officers responding to the scene found Gonzalez handcuffed and bleeding while being detained by federal immigration agents. LBPD said officers took Gonzalez to a nearby fire station, where his handcuffs were removed, before firefighters transported him to a hospital for treatment, according to LBPD’s statement.
Police officers on scene attempted to de-escalate the situation and directed everyone to clear the area, according to LBPD’s statement. Officers left the area and some ICE agents followed LBPD personnel to a secure parking lot in the police station. There, ICE agents were subsequently directed to leave the station. They were later advised that if they wanted to file a vandalism report, they could contact Long Beach’s Communications Center and an LBPD officer would respond to their location to take a report.
While LBPD said that officers were not involved in immigration enforcement and made no arrests, Long Beach community members said they felt the police were not aiding in de-escalation — but rather seemed like they were protecting ICE agents.
LBPD not getting involved, even while Gonzalez was injured, brings up questions from the community on when the police can get involved, Austin said.
“Long Beach police will always say, ‘We’re just here to maintain public safety,’ but in reality, you’re letting these ICE agents who are a threat to public safety go in, do what they want, terrorize a community and then leave their own crime scene.”
But LBPD is limited in what they can do when federal agents are involved in an incident.
“Long Beach Police Department does not enforce civil immigration law and does not participate in federal immigration enforcement,” LBPD said in a statement. “In addition, the LBPD cannot legally obstruct or interfere with federal enforcement operations.”
After the incident, Gonzalez’s daughter created a GoFundMe page for her father to raise money for medical bills and recovery. There had been more than $28,000 in donations to Gonzalez and his family, as of Friday, Oct. 23.
“My dad is one of the hardest working men out there,” Leslie Gonzalez wrote on the fundraising page. “Because of him, I have a roof over my head and I have all the opportunities around me. Our family is everything because of him. We ask for your support and prayers during this awful time.”
Gonzalez, according to Austin, is out of the hospital and at home, slowly getting back on his feet. The family was thankful for the support and resources offered by the community and those who tried to help Gonzalez when the attack occurred, according to community groups in contact with the Gonzalez family.
Long Beach elected officials and residents alike continued bringing attention to the incident and ongoing federal immigration enforcement raids across the state this week.
On Monday, Oct. 19, Garcia was joined by Sen. Lena Gonzalez and local immigration leaders at Long Beach City Hall for a press conference to outline his agenda to demand accountability for the “deadly actions and gross misconduct” taken by ICE and DHS.
“The terror that happened in North Long Beach over the weekend is not welcome in our city or our community,” Garcia said during the press conference. “These masked cowards are not welcome in the city of Long Beach. It’s disgusting and every single person should condemn it; and there should be a full investigation as to what happened there.”
Community organizations held a rally at the same location on Tuesday night, Oct. 20, to bring attention to the Trump administration’s escalation of ICE operations in California and demand justice for Gonzalez.
Several speakers shared their perspective on the incident, including members of the volunteer-led group Long Beach Rapid Response Network, as well as local immigrant rights organization Órale.
Organizations such as Órale have continued supporting immigrant families during ongoing federal immigration raids. As part of the Long Beach Justice Fund Coalition, the nonprofit has been advocating for months to get the City Council to strengthen its Values Act and create greater protections for immigrant families ahead of continued enforcement in the city.
“We are grateful that the courage and solidarity shown by the North Long Beach community this weekend exists within our city,” Órale said in a statement, “and we hope that everyone else in Long Beach follows in their footsteps to protect immigrant families. Everyday people are taking action to protect their neighbors, but what are the Long Beach mayor and City Council doing to make our city safer for immigrant families?”
The coalition has been advocating for the city to strengthen the Long Beach Values Act to include a ban on the local use of surveillance technology and the implementation of a private right of action into the Values Act. There is no evidence that local resources were used to aid ICE during the incident.
“Families deserve to know that no city resources, including LBPD and their tech, are aiding this racist deportation machine,” the Orale statement said. “And families deserve to be able to hold the city accountable if they do collaborate with ICE. Local officials must shut down any possibility of local collaboration and information sharing with federal agencies like ICE.”
It was inspiring to see the community come together to try to protect Gonzalez, Austin said. Neighbors got out of their homes to protect one another and keep each other safe.
“That was just an organic response,” Austin said. “People saw their neighbors being attacked and they came out to stand up for them, everyone together, and demanding that ICE leave the community. I was inspired to be there, to be a part of that.”
Residents and community groups want to see more action from local and state leaders, Austin added.
“Long Beach is supposed to be recognized as a sanctuary city under the Values Act,” Austin said. “What we see time and time again is when push comes to shove, where these ICE agents come in here and brutally attack people, do whatever they want, there’s really no pushback from the city other than, ‘Let’s write a letter’ and ‘Let’s have a press conference and ask them to stop.’ What people really want to see is they want to see city leaders take a more assertive stance.”
Long Beach, city officials said, remains committed to the Long Beach Values Act. The city’s fiscal year 2027 budget, along with the mayor’s recommendations, includes structural and one-time funds totaling $1 million for the Long Beach Justice Fund.
The city also continues taking steps to preserve the legal rights of the entire community, Long Beach officials said, including strengthening the Values Act last year to expand protections further, such as by limiting law enforcement access to city facilities, strengthening staff training and accountability, ensuring data protection in vendor and contractor agreements and supporting legal advocacy and know-your-rights education.
The mayor and City Council members will look into strengthening the Values Act on Nov. 10.
City News Service contributed to this article.