Federal immigration agents detained a California woman outside a Home Depot during a workplace raid and used excessive force during her arrest, a family friend told Newsweek.
Alejandra Anleu, a 22-year-old immigrant from Guatemala, was arrested by U.S. Border Patrol agents outside the store located at San Fernando and 26th Street in Los Angeles on Monday, June 30, 2025.
She had been working there when immigration enforcers detained her.
Joyce Sanchez, a 28-year-old U.S. citizen and family friend, told Newsweek: “They used excessive force on a young woman, which was unnecessary.”
A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) told Newsweek: “FALSE. On June 30, U.S. Border Patrol encountered Alejandra Anleu, an illegal alien from Guatemala. During the encounter, Anleu freely admitted to being an illegal alien and she was placed under arrest without any injuries reported.”
Footage obtained by Newsweek shows federal agents leading her away without incident.
The arrest comes amid a crackdown on immigration by the Trump administration, which has made enforcement operations a top priority. President Donald Trump has vowed to carry out what he calls the largest mass deportation effort in United States history, enforcing stricter border controls and ramping up ICE detentions across the country.
Anleu has been in the United States since February 2021, living in Los Angeles for five years without legal status.
She is currently held at the Adelanto detention center under harsh conditions, according to her family.
“For the first five days, she couldn’t shower and was only given a burrito, a kid’s juice, and some chips. She couldn’t sleep because there were no beds. In Los Angeles, it is horrible; the conditions for people are inhumane,” Sanchez said.
A DHS spokesperson said: “Any claim that there is a subprime conditions at ICE detention centers are false. All detainees are provided with proper meals, medical treatment, and have opportunities to communicate with their family members and lawyers.
“Ensuring the safety, security, and well-being of individuals in our custody is a top priority at ICE. Why does the media continue to fall for the sob stories of illegal aliens in detention and villainize ICE law enforcement?”
Anleu, who was working to support her family by selling tacos and doing other jobs, has no prior criminal record and has not yet been granted a hearing before an immigration judge, according to Sanchez.
The family says they have been devastated by the arrest. Anleu’s father was killed in Guatemala, leaving her family of four to fend for themselves in the U.S.
“They are very worried and scared, they haven’t gone out to work, and her younger sister no longer wants to go to school because she is scared,” Sanchez said.
Her family says they hope her story will draw attention to what they describe as unnecessarily harsh enforcement tactics.
“She is scared and wants to get out of there, but we told her everything will be OK,” Sanchez said.
Adelanto, where Anleu is being held, has faced criticism in recent years over reports of overcrowding, poor hygiene, and a lack of sufficient medical care.
In May 2018, inspectors from DHS showed up unannounced at the detention center where 307 contract guards were overseeing 1,659 immigrant detainees. According to the inspectors’ report, the facility violated multiple ICE detention standards, creating serious health and safety risks and restricting detainees’ basic rights.
Among the violations were nooses hanging in cells, the improper use of solitary confinement, detainees being handcuffed and shackled incorrectly, a lack of language support for those who didn’t speak English, and medical care that was often delayed or inadequate.
“ICE takes seriously the OIG’s findings, and has agreed to conduct a full and immediate review of the center to ensure compliance with detention standards and expedite necessary corrective actions,” agency spokeswoman Lori Haley told CNN in a statement.
The Adelanto Detention Center, located at 10400 Rancho Road in Adelanto, California, is a privately operated immigration detention facility managed by the GEO Group under contract with ICE.
GEO Group said in a statement reported by CNN that it takes the findings “very seriously” and had been working with ICE to respond to the them well ahead of the report’s public release.
“We have already taken steps to remedy areas where our processes fell short of our commitment to high-quality care,” the spokesman said.
The DHS spokesperson added in their statement: “Illegal aliens can take control of their departure with the CBP Home App. The United States is offering illegal aliens $1,000 and a free flight to self-deport now. We encourage every person here illegally to take advantage of this offer and reserve the chance to come back to the U.S. the right legal way to live the American dream. If not, you will be arrested and deported without a chance to return.”
The post California Woman Detained By Border Patrol At Home Depot appeared first on Newsweek.
