Family members said a man who was detained by federal immigration agents in Pomona was released from custody Wednesday, a day after a group of day laborers was detained during a nearby raid outside a Home Depot.
Martin Majin Leon has owned and operated a barber shop on Holt Avenue in Pomona for nearly 20 years. On April 22, surveillance footage showed Martin arriving at his shop early in the morning.
He steps out of his car to open a gate and seconds later, a van and SUV surround him as several agents quickly approach him with guns drawn.
“They get him at gunpoint and he surrenders,” Martin’s son, Miguel Majin, told KTLA’s Shelby Nelson. “I think it’s unnecessary to use guns. My dad’s not a criminal.”
At a press conference on Thursday, Martin’s family gathered to share more details about his detainment. Miguel read from a letter his father wrote in Spanish that was translated into English:
“I’m a husband, a father and a small business owner who has lived and worked in California for over 39 years. I have built a life here, raised my family here, paid taxes and contributed to my community every day all these years. On the morning of April 22, I was detained without prior notice by federal agents for over 30 hours. My family did not know where I was or what had happened to me. I was not given a chance to contact them and no immediate explanation was provided.”
Martin said the ordeal left him scared and in shock. He was later transported to a facility in Indio, then El Centro, before arriving in Riverside.
On Wednesday, his family was able to retrieve him after he was released from a Riverside courtroom.
Although Martin said he had previously been deported in the early 2000s, he said he has nothing to hide and is cooperating with authorities on his case.
“The charge against me relates to an immigration issue from over 20 years ago,” Martin said. “I want to be clear — I’m fully cooperating with the legal process and trust that the court will consider the facts of the life I’ve built here in the U.S.”
Martin’s family said they still have many unanswered questions. They believe U.S. Customs and Border Protection was behind the arrest. KTLA has reached out to the department and is awaiting confirmation.
The agency did, however, confirm that they were involved with the detainment of a group of day laborers outside a Home Depot store the same morning that Martin was taken into custody.
Hilton Beckham, Assistant Commissioner with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, released a statement on the incident saying:
“Agents conducted an operation in Pomona targeting an illegal alien with an active arrest warrant. During the operation, nine additional illegal aliens were encountered and taken into custody. Several of those apprehended had prior charges, including child abuse, assault with a deadly weapon, immigration violations, and DUI.”
As for Martin’s case, his family said they are seeking legal counsel on what they should prepare for moving forward. Martin’s next court date is scheduled for May 29.
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