Son visits landscaper detained in Santa Ana by Border Patrol – NBC Los Angeles

The son of a landscaper who was punched by a federal agent when he was taken into custody over the weekend in Santa Ana met along with his father at a Los Angeles detention heart Tuesday for the primary time because the violent immigration enforcement arrest captured on video.

In an interview Tuesday afternoon, Alejandro Barranco mentioned he spoke along with his 48-year-old father by means of a window barrier on the federal detention heart, the place he was transported after he was taken into custody Saturday in Santa Ana.

“He appeared unhealthy. He appeared actually unhealthy,” Barranco mentioned. “He was carrying the identical garments as once they obtained him. Nonetheless had blood on his shirt. He simply appeared scared. His eyes are all crimson. He says they burn.”

Finding the place his father was being held was difficult, Barranco mentioned.

“It’s extremely exhausting,” Barranco mentioned. “To seek out him, we would not have identified the place he was if over the telephone name he did not inform us what the deal with was.”

In video of the weekend arrest, a federal agent was seen punching Narciso Barranco, who has lived in america for greater than 30 years, when he was pinned to the bottom.

He was working a landscaping job exterior an IHOP on Ritchey Avenue and Edinger Avenue when he was approached by Border Patrol brokers. The Division of Homeland Safety shared on social media Monday that Barranco assaulted a federal agent with a weed whacker as he was being taken into custody.

However his household mentioned the longtime landscaper was making an attempt to guard himself from pepper spray and a number of other armed brokers. 

“When he heard that, he was shocked,” Barranco mentioned. “He by no means supposed to hit anybody. He by no means supposed to harm anybody.”

Video confirmed Narciso Barranco working with the backyard instrument, however didn’t seize the moments earlier than the confrontation at a busy Santa Ana intersection. The string trimmer might be seen on the bottom as Barranco was taken into custody.

Barranco, who mentioned his dad requested him to complete the landscaping job as he was being detained, mentioned that he’s undecided how lengthy he’ll stay in custody. It was not instantly clear whether or not Narciso Barranco will face prices in reference to the alleged energy instrument assault. The Division of Homeland Safety has declined to substantiate whether or not a warrant existed for his arrest.

Barranco, who served within the U.S. Marine Corps, mentioned Tuesday’s assembly was stuffed with feelings. At first, his father hesitated to method the window barrier and gave the impression to be combating again tears, Barrnaco mentioned.

A Southern California gardener, a father to a U.S. navy veteran and two Marines, was pinned down and punched over the weekend. Hetty Chang reviews for the NBC4 Information at 4 p.m. on Monday, June 23, 2025.

“I used to be feeling very emotional, however I understand how to remain sturdy for my dad,” Barranco mentioned. “I instructed him everyone is right here serving to him. He could not imagine it. He is staying sturdy, but it surely’s exhausting for him, for certain.

“He is only a exhausting working man. He is a sort man. Very prideful of his work. Very prideful of his youngsters.”

His father instructed him he liked him and thanked those that are serving to to lift funds for authorized help, Barranco mentioned, including that he instructed his son to promote his work truck, if he wanted the cash.

Barranco mentioned the household is within the preliminary section of submitting for the Parole in Place program, which allowed undocumented spouses of U.S. residents to extra simply apply for everlasting residency and citizenship.

Barranco mentioned his father at all times knew he may very well be taken into custody by federal immigration authorities, however took the danger to offer for his household. Barranco’s two different sons are presently serving within the Marine Corps.

“I am feeling very optimistic,” Barranco instructed MSNBC earlier Tuesday. “It would not make me love my nation any much less. It makes me find it irresistible extra as a result of I see all these folks standing up for folks like my dad.”

Yliana Johansen-Mendez, chief program workplace at Immigrant Defenders Regulation Heart, mentioned households searching for somebody in detention ought to put together for a tough wait. She mentioned updates to the system used to find detainees can take a couple of days.

“ICE has a web site the place you’ll be able to kind of their A quantity, if you understand the case quantity, and the nation that they are from, or their title and the nation that they are from, and it’ll search for them of their system,” Johansen-Mendez mentioned. “A very powerful factor that somebody can do earlier than they’re detained is memorize telephone numbers.”

In a press release to Monday to NBCLA, the Division of Homeland Safety mentioned Barranco was in Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody.

“Border Patrol Brokers arrested an unlawful alien who tried to evade regulation enforcement, DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin mentioned. “The unlawful alien ran, then turned and swung a weed whacker instantly at an agent’s face. He then fled by means of a busy intersection and raised the weed whacker once more on the agent. The unlawful alien refused to conform each step of the way in which—resisting instructions, combating handcuffs, and refusing to determine himself. The brokers took acceptable motion and adopted their coaching to make use of the minimal quantity of drive essential to resolve the scenario in a fashion that prioritizes the protection of the general public and our officers. He’s now in ICE custody.”