Outcry over ICE violent detention of US citizen
The gist
ICE agents pinned down 20-year-old U.S. citizen Erik Zepeda in Santa Maria, California, breaking his wrist.
The case fuels scrutiny of enforcement tactics as arrest targets reportedly rise.
How it unfolded
- Nov 5, 2026Erik Zepeda, a 20-year-old U.S. citizen with disabilities, was pinned down by ICE agents and left with a broken wrist while walking to high school in Santa Maria, California, prompting outcry.
- Nov 5, 2026Chicago-area organizers said ICE tactics during Operation Midway Blitz have shifted, with agents using databases such as LexisNexis, stalking residents and breaking car windows to make arrests.
- Nov 8, 2026U.S. officials told CBS News the administration is unlikely to scale back its immigration crackdown after the midterms, citing Stephen Miller's elevation to White House chief of staff; ICE has been instructed to carry out around 19,000 arrests per week, or about 2,700 per day, up from a prior 2,000 daily target.
Key terms
- ICE
- Federal law enforcement agency under the Department of Homeland Security that enforces immigration and customs laws.
- Operation Midway Blitz
- A US Immigration and Customs Enforcement operation in and around Chicago targeting undocumented immigrants with criminal records.
- midterms
- US general elections held near the midpoint of a president's four-year term, when all House seats and about a third of Senate seats are contested.
Source: Wikipedia