ENCINITAS (KGTV) — The owner of a landscaping business said two of his employees were detained by ICE on Friday morning in Encinitas, the same area where another ICE arrest earlier this week sparked community outrage.
Daniel Alfonzo, owner of Meticulous Landscape, spoke to ABC 10News hours after video of the arrest was posted to social media. The video shows three ICE agents attempting to detain a man and place a leg cuff on one of his ankles.
"That's why he was resisting because he was like I was born here, like what are you guys doing? '" said Alfonzo.
Alfonzo said his employee, who is also his cousin, is a U.S. citizen. He said a second employee was also detained during the incident on Village Park Way and Park Dale Lane.
Alfonzo said all his employees are hired and verified through E-Verify, a government system that allows employers to confirm worker eligibility in the U.S.
"He's 100% legit. We have E-verify for everything, you know, the second employee just got, uh, hired on him about a month ago, you know, so the bookkeeper takes care of all that stuff," said Alfonzo.
ICE disputes Alfonzo's claims. In a statement to ABC 10News, ICE said the man in the video is undocumented from Mexico and has a lengthy criminal history, including child cruelty, assault with a deadly weapon, and battery on a peace officer.
The statement said the man "violently resisted arrest" forcing officers to fully restrain him. ICE said the second man arrested is also undocumented from Mexico and say he entered the country illegally.
The incident occurred in the same area where another ICE arrest sparked outrage on Wednesday. That arrest led to a community rally at Encinitas City Hall, where parents expressed concern about the proximity to an elementary school about a half-mile away. The arrests did not happen within view of the elementary school.
Alfonzo said his cousin's leg was possibly broken during the arrest, and his family has hired an attorney.
"I never thought in my life I'd have to deal with something like this," said Alfonzo.
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