Narciso Barranco: DHS says OC gardener detained by ICE swung weed whacker at agent

SANTA ANA, Calif. - The mayor of Santa Ana is speaking out on the "horrendous" viral video showing the arrest of an undocumented gardener in Orange County over the weekend. 

Undocumented gardener detained in Tustin

What we know:

A viral video apparently showing U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents arresting and punching Narciso Barranco is sparking public outrage and raising questions about the use of force during immigration enforcement.

It happened sometime before noon Saturday, June 21, in Tustin, according to the post shared by Santa Ana City Councilmember Jonathan Hernandez.

Barranco, a landscaper who was working outside an IHOP restaurant when masked agents approached him. 

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: CBP agent repeatedly punches Santa Ana landscaper in the face during detainment

According to witnesses, Barranco panicked and ran before being tackled, struck multiple times, and detained by CBP officers.

The video, widely circulated on social media, shows Barranco being punched during the arrest. IHOP manager Guillermo Villareal says Barranco is the restaurant’s landscaper and he was trimming the bushes. 

"He was just working," Villareal said. "Then all of a sudden, these men in masks went after him." 

What’s drawing even more attention is who Narciso’s children are: all three of his sons serve or have served in the U.S. Marine Corps. One of them, Alejandro Barranco, is a Marine veteran who served in Afghanistan. His two younger brothers are currently stationed at Camp Pendleton. 

‘He has no criminal record'

What they're saying:

Alejandro says he found out about his father’s arrest from people who saw the video online and sent it to him. "He’s undocumented, yes—but he has no criminal record," Alejandro said.

The day after the arrest, the family was able to speak with Narciso by phone. Alejandro describes the call as heartbreaking. 

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Narciso Barranco: Family of California gardener advocating for justice, preventing deportation

"He sounded scared, he sounded like he was crying. I’ve never heard him like that," said Alejandro. Now, the Barranco family has launched a GoFundMe to help pay for legal representation. They’re hoping to stop Narciso from being deported.

"He was just working," Villareal said. "Then all of a sudden, these men in masks went after him."

‘These [ICE] agents are here to hurt us’

What they're saying:

Santa Ana Mayor Valerie Amezcua posted a video on social media reacting to Barranco's arrest, calling it "unprofessional" and "wrong in so many ways."

"I am deeply saddened the way they handled this… the way they are handling our community," she said. "They are not here to protect us and serve, these agents are here to hurt us."

Amezcua called on everyone - no matter one's political party affiliation - to "have a heart" and "if you don't think it's wrong, something is wrong with you." 

"We are trying to do all that we can, just looking at all these videos of people being arrested, let's do it right.. ICE agents let's do it the right way - otherwise, ICE agents please get out of our city," she said. 

"This is inhumane, this is wrong in so many ways," she added. "I'm watching this today saying it truly is a sad day in Santa Ana."

Amezcua went on to urge the public to "know your right" and "please take care of one another."

The other side:

DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin released a statement to FOX 11 with more details surrounding the arrest. 

According to DHS, Barranco tried to run away from law enforcement and swung a weed whacker directly at a CBP agent's face while he was trying to get away. 

Barranco then allegedly ran through a busy intersection and swung the weed whacker again at the agent, officials said. 

According to authorities, Barranco refused to comply with commands and refused to identify himself.

"The agents took appropriate action and following 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," the statement read.

Officials said reports that Barranco's shoulder was dislocated are false and that he was offered medical care, which he declined.

Trump immigration crackdown

Dig deeper:

Last week, a curfew in downtown Los Angeles was lifted as anti-ICE demonstrations calmed across the region. 

That followed over a week of sometimes-violent clashes between protesters and police and outbreaks of vandalism and looting that followed immigration raids across Southern California.

Federal immigration authorities have been ramping up arrests across the country to fulfill Trump’s promise of mass deportations.

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• JD Vance blasts Newsom while visiting LA, says governor egged on protesters
• US citizen speaks out after being detained by ICE in Hollywood

The friction in Los Angeles began June 6, when federal agents conducted a series of immigration sweeps in the region that have continued since. 

Amid the protests and over the objections of state and local officials, Trump ordered the deployment of roughly 4,000 National Guard troops and 700 Marines to the second-largest U.S. city, home to 3.8 million people.

Trump has said that without the military’s involvement, Los Angeles "would be a crime scene like we haven’t seen in years."

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