A car wash owner in Van Nuys has filed a civil rights claim seeking $50 million from several federal government agencies after he claims he was “body slammed and pinned to the ground” by agents during an immigration raid.
Rafie Ollah Shouhed claims he was inside his business on the morning of Sept. 9 when masked agents from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Customs and Border Protection CBP), U.S. Border Patrol, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) stormed in and shoved him to the ground without warning.
In a statement to CBS Los Angeles, CBP confirmed a targeted immigration enforcement operation took place at the location. They claim that during the incident, a U.S. citizen “obstructed” the operation, “disobeyed BP agent’s commands, and was placed under arrest for assaulting and impeding a Federal agent.”
Shouhed disputed CBP’s allegations.
Shouhed’s attorney, James DeSimone, said the 79-year-old was trying to figure out what was happening when he was “attacked and assaulted” by the agents. He also claims agents then went outside; Shouhed followed, trying to provide proof that his employees at the car wash were authorized to work.
“This was an outrageous and unlawful assault on a 79-year-old American citizen in his own place of business,” DeSimone said.
Shouhed’s attorney also alleges the agents “violently body-slammed him” onto the pavement and jumped on his back while he yelled out that he had undergone heart surgery and couldn’t breathe. He claims agents ignored Shouhed’s pleas, handcuffed him and transported him to the Metropolitan Detention Center in Los Angeles.
According to the civil rights claim, Shouhed was held for nearly 12 hours without medication.
After being released, Shouhed was taken to the hospital by his family, where he was treated for broken ribs, serious injuries to his elbows and post-concussive symptoms of a traumatic brain injury, according to the claim.
“These masked agents’ conduct was lawless, reckless and cruel,” DeSimone said. “If this can happen in broad daylight to an American senior citizen who committed no crime, it can happen to anyone. This was not law enforcement, it was an assault on civil rights and our democracy cannot survive if federal agents operate above the law.”
Both DHS and CBP have maintained the stance that Shouhed “impeded the operation” and was arrested for it.
“Since the incident, Mr. Shouhed continues to experience painful, shallow breathing and shortness of breath, especially with movement and at night,” the claim said. “These injuries and symptoms have impaired his daily activities and sleep, and he remains fearful of returning to work at the very location where he was injured.”