A disturbing video out of Los Angeles, California, has sparked concern online after it appeared to show ICE agents assaulting multiple people during what witnesses describe as a misidentified apprehension attempt. The clip, posted to Instagram by user @y_leni_ and later shared on Reddit, shows agents shattering a woman’s car window, leaving her bloodied, before forcing her out and detaining her. According to the caption, the woman had been recording what she believed was an attempted kidnapping by ICE, only to become a target herself.
In the footage, bystanders can be heard shouting “you’re being recorded” as agents swarm the scene. One officer quickly moves to block the camera, obstructing the view of what happens next. The video cuts off with an overlay claiming the woman, whose window was broken and who was dragged out by federal agents, was the wrong person entirely.
The Reddit discussion following the video was blunt and furious. User ladymorgahnna summed up the mood with: “7 big strong ‘men’ for a petite woman. This is insane!” Others condemned the officers as “fucking nazis” and called for increased community vigilance, with one commenter warning: “Educate yourself and your neighbors on the castle doctrine… If they are masked/refuse to identify they cannot be confirmed to be federal/municipal officers.”
Some commenters expressed disbelief at how quickly local law enforcement appeared to align with federal agents. In her caption, @y_leni_ claimed she herself was detained by HSI, DHS, and LAPD, noting: “LAPD as usual did nothing but cooperate with ICE.”
The incident plays directly into long-standing criticisms of ICE and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) over their tactics. Breaking car windows, refusing to identify themselves, and using overwhelming force against suspected targets are recurring themes in viral recordings of immigration enforcement operations. For critics, this video underscores the lack of accountability and transparency, particularly when operations spill into civilian spaces.
The fact that the woman apprehended was reportedly the wrong person only deepens the controversy. On Reddit, one user remarked grimly: “They’re gonna call anything you do ‘impeding an investigation.’” Another noted that the officer seen in the video has appeared in other recordings behaving aggressively toward civilians.
While the official details of the Los Angeles incident remain unclear, the message among those who watched and shared the video was consistent: record everything. As one Redditor put it, “Everyone cameras up, always, and set to save to iCloud.”
With federal and local law enforcement declining to provide immediate comment, the video stands on its own as both evidence and rallying cry. For critics of ICE, it’s yet another moment where immigration enforcement in the United States looks less like due process and more like a public spectacle of intimidation.
