Rally Calls for Release of Student Arrested by Immigration Agents

LOS ANGELES, CA — Activists and educators gathered at the Los Angeles Unified School District headquarters on Tuesday to demand the release of 18-year-old Benjamin Guerrero-Cruz, who was arrested by immigration agents on August 8. During a visit with his former teacher, Guerrero-Cruz claimed that the agents boasted about being paid $1,500 for their actions.

Guerrero-Cruz, who had just begun his senior year in high school, was reportedly walking his dog near his Van Nuys home when over a dozen men apprehended him. He stated that the men called him by an unfamiliar name and did not identify themselves or show any warrant, according to Lizette Becerra, his former English language development teacher.

Becerra recounted their conversation during the rally, where she expressed concern about the possibility that the agents might be bounty hunters. “So my question is, who are these people that took him?” said Becerra. “I am concerned that these were bounty hunters.”

In response to questions about Guerrero-Cruz’s claims, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security denied employing bounty hunters and insisted that its agents acted appropriately. “Claims that DHS uses private contractors or ‘bounty hunters’ to make arrests are false,” the department stated.

The department added that Guerrero-Cruz was in violation of federal immigration law for overstaying his visa by more than two years. They emphasized that he had multiple options available to avoid arrest, including a program that allows some individuals to self-deport with due assistance.

Guerrero-Cruz’s situation has raised concerns about the treatment of immigrants in the U.S. Becerra mentioned the difficult conditions he endured in a detention facility, stating he was forced to remain in his pajamas for days without basic hygiene.

Supporters of Guerrero-Cruz have set up a GoFundMe page for his family, highlighting that he has young siblings at home. Classmates and friends have expressed shock and sadness over his detention, emphasizing his positive contributions both in school and on the soccer field.

<p“Tell them we come here to make a better life and we do good and we’re treated like criminals,” Guerrero-Cruz reportedly expressed through Becerra. “I want to finish high school.”