North Hills taco vendor asked for medical help, was given self-deportation order, wife says

Church leaders outraged over taco vendor's arrest

Church leaders are outraged after a local taco vendor got arrested during an ICE raid.

LOS ANGELES - A North Hills church is speaking out after a taco vendor was chased down on their property. Community leaders say the incident was "deeply depressing", but federal officials say there's more to the story. 

What they're saying:

"This is not just a parking lot, this is part of a church, private property, and sanctuary," said North Hills United Methodist Church Pastor Ervin Aguilon. 

Witnesses say last week food vendor Carlos Chavez was selling tacos in front of the church when he saw ICE agents chasing people up the street. He stepped into the church, only to be followed by agents. Cell video shows him being detained, as people ask why he was targeted. 

His wife, with one of their four children, along with church leaders and parishioners, broke down as she told reporters she was able to reach her husband on the phone. She said her husband, who suffers from bronchitis, asked for medical treatment while in detention. They reportedly said if he wants treatment he needs to sign a paper, but that paper was reportedly a self-deportation order. Chavez is now back in Mexico. 

Witnesses also told FOX 11 that when armed agents ran into the church, families lining up for food took off. Pastor Manuel Flores said parishioners blocked the gates, so agents could not chase after them. 

"Or we probably would have seen a lot more people taken," he added. 

The other side:

In a statement to FOX 11, DHS said they were not targeting the church, and that Chavez ran away from them, which is a federal crime. They add that he was deported once before in 2016. 

DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin sent FOX 11 the following statement, "U.S. Border Patrol did NOT target United Methodist Church or its parking lot in North Hills, California. On January 29, Border Patrol conducted an immigration enforcement operation in the area of Rayen Street and Sepulveda Boulevard that resulted in the arrest of Carlos Chavez-Guzman, an illegal alien from Mexico who was previously removed from this country in 2016.  Chavez-Guzman chose to run from law enforcement, a federal crime, leading them on a foot chase before his arrest. This operation also resulted in the arrest of two other individuals from Mexico who have violated the immigration laws of our country. All three of these illegal aliens will remain in ICE custody pending removal. We encourage all illegal aliens to take control of their departure with the CBP Home App. The United States is offering illegal aliens $2,600 and a free flight to self-deport now. We encourage every person here illegally to take advantage of this offer and reserve the chance to come back to the U.S. the right legal way to live the American dream. If not, you will be arrested and deported without a chance to return."