Local marine veteran speaks out after mistakenly detained by border patrol

DESERT HOT SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) - A resident of Desert Hot Springs is speaking out after what he describes as a distressing experience at the U.S.-Mexico border.

Tony Johnson, a retired U.S. Marine Corps veteran in his 50s, says he was recently detained at the San Ysidro Port of Entry after returning from Mexico, where he had gone to seek medical treatment. Johnson, who receives care through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs for PTSD, anxiety, and chronic back pain, says the encounter has significantly worsened his condition.

According to Johnson, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers detained him at gunpoint, placed him in handcuffs, and restrained him to a metal seat for approximately 90 minutes. He says he repeatedly asked why he was being held but was not given an explanation during the detention.

Johnson was eventually told he had been mistaken for another individual with a similar name and was released without charges. However, he claims officers warned him the issue could happen again each time he crosses the border until the other individual is apprehended.

He says current border enforcement practices are causing unnecessary distress for U.S. citizens and is calling for change.

News Channel 3 has reached out to Border Patrol for answers.

Stay with News Channel 3 for more.