An undocumented father of three Marines who was forcibly detained by federal immigration agents while at his landscaping job in California last month spoke out for the first time on Friday in emotional, tearful remarks.
Customs and Border Patrol agents arrested Narciso Barranco in Santa Ana on June 21, according to the Department of Homeland Security. Video of him being forcibly detained showed masked agents holding him down on the street and repeatedly punching him after he ran from agents.
He is currently out on bond after being released from federal custody on July 15 and has an immigration status hearing in August, according to Orange City Council officials.
During a press conference in Santa Ana surrounded by local officials and leaders, Barranco thanked the community and his family for their support.
“I love you all and I am very proud of you,” he said to his children in Spanish.
To his wife, Marta, he said, “Thank you for your strength, love, and for never stopping believing in me.”
MORE: Marine veteran addresses Congress after father forcibly detained by immigration agents
Barranco also spoke to the families of other detainees he met while in custody.
“I want to tell their families they have faith, they miss you all, and even in that place, they have hope,” he said.
Barranco asked of federal authorities, “Please, don’t take away the opportunities for them to reunite with their families.”
Lisa Ramirez, a founding partner of US Immigration Law Group and Barranco’s legal representative, said his story is not an isolated case.
“What I think we can all learn from this one story is that there are hundreds and soon to be millions of people like Mr. Barranco who have been long-standing contributors to our country, who will also be arbitrarily arrested and detained,” she said.
The Department of Homeland Security said following the arrest that Narciso Barranco is in the country illegally and that he tried to evade law enforcement, “swung a weed whacker directly at an agent’s face” and resisted commands.
“The agents took appropriate action and followed their training to use the minimum amount of force necessary to resolve the situation in a manner that prioritizes the safety of the public and our officers,” DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement at the time.
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One of Barranco’s sons, Marine veteran Alejandro Barranco, told Congress members this week that his father got scared after the masked agents approached him while he was at work.
“As he worked, he noticed masked men approaching him, and was quickly surrounded by men who did not identify themselves and never presented any type of warrant,” he told Democratic members of the House Committee on Homeland Security during an oversight forum examining the Trump administration’s detention and deportation practices on Tuesday. “Terrified, he ran. They chased him through the parking lot and into a crowded street. They pointed guns at him, pepper-sprayed him. They tackled him to the ground and kicked him.”
He said his father, who has two other sons who are currently serving as Marines, has no criminal record and “should have never been attacked by these agents.”
“He supported his family and paid taxes,” the veteran said. “He is a human being, but he was not treated with the basic dignity he deserved.”
