Overview

• Leonardo García Venegas, a 25-year-old U.S. citizen, was arrested by ICE agents at a construction site in Foley, Alabama, on May 21 during an operation targeting undocumented workers.
• Agents claimed Venegas’s REAL ID was fake, despite it meeting federal identification standards; he was released hours later after reciting his Social Security number to confirm his citizenship.
• A DHS spokesperson defended the arrest, alleging Venegas obstructed the lawful apprehension of an undocumented worker, though Venegas disputes this claim.
• The incident has intensified criticism of the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement policies, including allegations of racial profiling and procedural errors affecting U.S. citizens.
• Venegas’s case follows other high-profile wrongful detentions of U.S. citizens, fueling calls for investigations and reforms to safeguard due process and prevent racial bias.