2 arrested, 2 detained by federal agents in Van Nuys
Tense confrontation with ICE agents in Van Nuys
A tense confrontation involving masked ICE agents broke out in Van Nuys.
LOS ANGELES - Two men were arrested by federal immigration officers in Los Angeles' Van Nuys neighborhood Tuesday.
SkFOX over the scene near Kester Avenue and Sherman Way in the Van Nuys neighborhood showed multiple officers with the Los Angeles Police Department alongside federal agents dressed in military-type vests and their faces covered with masks.
The LAPD confirmed to FOX 11 it was assisting an "outside agency" in the area.
A woman who was in the car with the two men who were arrested was briefly detained for "not complying" but was released.
Her parents told FOX 11 she was released after they showed federal agents her passport. The woman's boyfriend and another friend were the ones detained.
SkyFOX video showed a large crowd gathering in the small shopping plaza, with a few individuals visibly upset and yelling at officers.
Authorities cleared the scene by 11:15 a.m.
What they're saying:
Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin with Homeland Security released the following statement, "On September 9, 2025, ICE agents conducted a targeted enforcement operation in Van Nuys, California. This operation resulted in the arrest of two criminal illegal aliens and MS-13 gang members. The first arrest occurred during a vehicle stop. The driver of the vehicle backed his car into law enforcement’s vehicle and fled on foot. ICE still successfully arrested Jose Herazo-Mexicanos, an illegal alien from Guatemala, with a previous conviction for voluntary manslaughter. The driver, Douglas Rodriguez Melgar left his passport in the car. An ICE investigation revealed he was an MS-13 gang member from El Salvador who had been convicted of murder in his home country. A few hour later ICE tracked this gang member down at a shopping center. The criminal illegal alien refused to exit the vehicle. Officers used the minimum amount of force necessary to make the arrest. During the arrest, violent rioters became aggressive towards ICE. Agents called LAPD to help control the crowd."