Bermuda Dunes man claims he was discriminated against by Border Patrol agents
Bermuda Dunes resident Ignacio Guzman was born and raised in the United States, but he says he’s faced discrimination his whole life.
Last week, as Guzman was heading home from work when he noticed Border Patrol agents raiding a Greyhound bus in Indio. Guzman took video of the raid. As agents detained a man on the bus, they began questioning Guzman’s own citizenship.
“As soon as I heard ‘get away get away from me,’ he said, ‘go check him.’ He gave the order to the officer to go check me,” Guzman said.
Guzman said agents began questioning his own citizenship. They asked him for two forms of I.D. and at one point called him stupid and threatened to throw him against the wall.
“It’s ok to take care of the country. I agree with that, but always, all my life I’ve been treated like that. When I go to Mexicali, Calexico, when I go across the border, always being treated like that. That’s terrible. I’m tired, I’m a citizen,” Guzman said.
A Border Patrol agent with the El Centro Sector couldn’t comment on the video but said there was extra manpower available to conduct the check.
“Agents went up and checked everybody on the bus. They go pretty much one by one, asking, like how do you present yourself as a port of entry. Agents ask ‘What’s your citizenship?’ Most individuals answer, ‘I’m here as a US citizen or a resident and prove with immigration documents.'”
A Greyhound spokesperson told KESQ / CBS Local 2’s Lauren Coronado does not work in partnership with U.S. Customs and Border Patrol but says they are required to comply with local, state, and federal laws.
The Border Patrol agent said he does not believe the man detained was in possession of drugs or any other illegal substances at the time of the stop.
Meanwhile, Guzman said he hopes agents conduct future stops more professionally.
“They are breaking the law too. They don’t have the training, the good training. They’re not supposed to act like that. I am a citizen, why was I treated like that. That’s not fair,” Guzman said.
According to a local immigration attorney, you are not required to answer questions regarding citizenship status from authorities. If you are illegally detained she advises people not to sign any paperwork and seek a lawyer right away.
