Federal Agents Raid 4 California Sites Tied to Anti-ICE Group, Seizing Phones and a USB Drive
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · May 20
Federal Agents Raid 4 California Sites Tied to Anti-ICE Group, Seizing Phones and a USB Drive
4 articles · Updated · The Guardian · May 20
More than 100 federal agents searched four Ventura County locations on May 13 tied to VC Defensa, a volunteer anti-ICE network, targeting leader Leonardo Martinez’s home and business plus two other volunteers’ homes; no arrests were made.
Search warrants cited suspected conspiracies to impede or injure federal officers and destroy government property. DHS said the targets were linked to an “anti-ICE organization” and pointed to prior arrests of members over alleged assaults on agents.
VC Defensa’s lawyer called the 3 a.m. raids “fishing expeditions” and said a civil lawsuit is being prepared, alleging constitutional violations and intimidation aimed at suppressing the group’s ICE-watch patrols and rapid-response hotline.
The group says the searches fit a broader pattern: more than 50 associates have faced raids, arrests, car rammings, pepper spray or surveillance over the past year as VC Defensa’s patrols have tried to disrupt ICE arrests in Oxnard and nearby areas.
The confrontation traces back to July 2025 immigration raids at cannabis greenhouses that triggered mass protests, hundreds of ICE arrests and a farm worker’s death, with federal investigators now examining whether activists organized violent resistance.
Activists had a riot shield and knives seized. Are these tools for defense or evidence of a conspiracy?
When does monitoring federal agents cross the legal line from protected free speech to criminal obstruction?
May 13, 2026 Federal Raids on VC Defensa: Escalating Tensions, Legal Battles, and the Fight for Immigrant Rights in California
Overview
On May 13, 2026, federal agents from Homeland Security Investigations carried out aggressive early-morning raids on the homes of southern California immigration activists and a business linked to VC Defensa volunteers. Agents broke down doors, smashed windows, handcuffed volunteers, and seized personal electronics, but made no arrests. Activists described these actions as the latest escalation in a campaign to harass their volunteer-led group, which monitors immigration enforcement. In response, VC Defensa and their legal team swiftly condemned the raids as intimidation tactics and announced plans to pursue legal action, highlighting concerns over constitutional rights violations.