U.S. Citizen Posts Video With Threats From Immigration Agent: 'We're Gonna End Up Shooting Some of Them'

Nearly three months after 18-year-old U.S. citizen Kenny Laynez-Ambrosio was wrongfully detained during a traffic stop in Florida, a video he recorded of the incident has gone viral, showing immigration agents threatening violence and joking about $30,000 bonuses tied to arrests.

The incident took place as Laynez-Ambrosio was on his way to a landscaping job in North Palm Beach with his mother and two coworkers when the vehicle was pulled over by the Florida Highway Patrol, The Guardian reported. According to Laynez-Ambrosio, the car was stopped for having too many people in the front seat. Officers later determined that two passengers were undocumented immigrants, later calling Border Patrol agents to the scene.

Video recorded by Laynez-Ambrosio shows one officer telling him: "You've got no rights here. You're an amigo, brother," despite his repeated statements that he was born and raised in the United States. Officers then used a stun gun on one of the passengers, placed another in a chokehold, and forcibly removed the occupants from the van. Laynez-Ambrosio was pushed to the ground and later detained for six hours.

The video continued recording after Laynez-Ambrosio was detained. In a passage, an officer remarked, "They're starting to resist more. We're gonna end up shooting some of them." Another officer replied, "Just remember, you can smell that too with a $30,000 bonus." Officers are also heard laughing and commenting, "Goddamn! Woo! Nice!" following the arrests.

Laynez-Ambrosio was later charged with obstruction without violence and sentenced to community service and an anger management course. His attorney, Jack Scarola, stated the charges were retaliatory:

"Kenny was charged with filming [and was] alleged to have interfered with the activities of law enforcement. But there was no intended interference – merely the exercise of a right to record what was happening"

Laynez-Ambrosio refused to delete the footage, despite being threatened with additional charges. His friends were transferred to the Krome detention center and later released on bail.

The Florida Highway Patrol and U.S. Customs and Border Protection did not respond back to The Guardian after requests for comment. However, U.S. Customs and Border Protection told CBS News in a statement that the individuals "resisted arrest" and said immigration agents are facing a surge in assaults while doing their job.

As CBS News points out, the video comes as Florida is set to deputize more than 1,800 additional law enforcement officers to conduct immigration operations as part of a statewide crackdown.