Federal immigration authorities left behind two children inside a truck after detaining the father, an advocacy group has claimed.
805 UndocuFund, a coalition of nonprofit organizations supporting immigrants in the Central Coast of California, said that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) apprehended a man at the Sinclair gas station located at 1050 South Ventura Road in Oxnard on May 4 at 9:30 a.m.
Juan Conches, a gas station attendant and witness, shared his account of the alleged arrest on 805 UndocuFund’s Instagram page in a post on May 5.
“They arrested someone,” Conches said. “They left the children inside the truck.”
Newsweek has contacted the 805 UndocuFund, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and ICE for comment.
Why It Matters
President Donald Trump has directed his administration to remove immigrants without legal status as part of an aggressive mass-deportation policy. Immigrant rights advocates say the ICE raids sow fear into vulnerable communities.
What To Know
Conches said a man arrived at the gas station to refuel his truck. While he was pumping gas, several vehicles, including a Ford Explorer and a Toyota Tacoma, quickly surrounded him.
“There were at least six cars. There were a lot of cars,” Conches said in a video shared by 805 UndocuFund.
The coalition said two young people were left behind at the scene following the apparent ICE arrest—one identified as a minor, and the other reportedly 19 years old; 805 UndocuFund described the older youth as “old enough to be alone but unable to drive, stranded, and powerless to leave.”
Conches recounted checking on the pair about 15 minutes after the incident.
He said: “They told me they took him. I then asked if I could move the truck to free up the pump. That’s it. I moved the truck with the kids inside and parked it in the front. They let me know they called their sister to pick them up.”
Conches added that their sister arrived later and picked up the truck and her siblings.
What People Are Saying
805 UndocuFund said in a post on Instagram: “Two vehicles surrounded the person—one in front and one behind. They were taken into custody in a blue vehicle seen in the image, leaving one minor child alone with older sibling in the car.”
Conches said in a video on Instagram: “It happened behind the car after he got out, and that’s where they got him.
“I think they were following him, that’s what I think, because, what a coincidence, right?”
What Happens Next
The incident has sparked concern among immigrant rights advocates, who are calling for accountability and transparency from federal authorities.
As of now, ICE and DHS have not publicly responded to inquiries about the reported arrest or the children left behind.
The post Children Left Behind Inside Truck After ICE Detains Father at Gas Station appeared first on Newsweek.
