Migrant Arrested In L.A. Thought He Signed a Consent To a Covid Test But May Have Agreed To Being Deported: Report

A migrant who was recently arrested during immigration enforcement operations in Los Angeles reportedly believes he was deceived into signing off on his removal.

Concretely, the person told his family he believed he had consented to a Covid test but may have signed off on his deportation instead, The Washington Post reported. His family told the outlet that the 23-year-old man, member of the indigenous Zapotec community, was dropped off at an international bridge and told to go to Mexico. He was arrested at an apparel store and taken to the border so quickly he was not able to get an attorney.

"He is a calm, working man. We are asking for justice because they violated his rights," said the man's father. He has no criminal record and had lived in the U.S. for four years.

The Trump administration has not specified how many people have been arrested or deported following the raids in Los Angeles. Advocacy groups told the outlet that over 200 people were detained and many don't have criminal records. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released information on 16 people who said have criminal histories.

Mexican Foreign Minister Juan Ramón de la Fuente said on Monday that 42 Mexican migrants — 37 men and five women — had been arrested over the weekend. At least four have been deported: two had active removal orders and two left voluntarily, even though one claims to have been deceived.

Speaking at Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum's daily news conference, de la Fuente said the detained individuals were being held in four different detention centers. He noted that consular officials had compiled a complete database of detainees, including family contact information, and had already begun reaching out to relatives.

De la Fuente said most of those arrested were working at the same textile factory in downtown Los Angeles as the 23-year-old man. "From the beginning, our consul went immediately to the detention center to identify and interview the detained Mexican nationals, gather information about their families, and offer legal assistance — which is fundamentally what we are able to do," De la Fuente said.

"In these cases, each person's release must go through legal channels. And of course, we've made contact with their families so they know their loved ones are being looked after, are in good health, and are receiving support from the legal advisory teams contracted by the consulates," he added.

As tensions continue to rise, President Sheinbaum condemned the violent incidents and urged Mexican nationals in the United States to protest peacefully and avoid provocations.

"We do not support violent actions as a form of protest," Sheinbaum said. "The burning of patrol cars seems more like an act of provocation than of resistance. It must be made clear that we condemn violence, no matter where it comes from. We call on the Mexican community to act peacefully and avoid provocations."