Tow truck driver arrested for towing ICE vehicle during Los Angeles raid

An Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operation in downtown Los Angeles ended with an unusual and highly controversial episode: the arrest of a tow truck driver who, in the middle of the procedure, towed an official federal government vehicle without authorization.

The incident occurred on August 15, when agents attempted to detain Colombian influencer Tatiana Mafla-Martínez, 23, known for documenting immigration raids on her social networks.

The accused: Bobby Núñez

Bobby Nunez, 33, of South Los Angeles, was arrested today on a federal criminal complaint charging him with stealing a government vehicle used during an immigration arrest last month. Nunez’s initial appearance is expected this afternoon in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles. He… pic.twitter.com/dBtJDdHSSn

– US Attorney L.A. (@USAO_LosAngeles) September 2, 2025

The Department of Justice reported that Bobby Nunez, 33, faces charges of theft of federal government property.

According to the indictment, Nunez directly interfered in the operation, using his Dodge tow truck to hook up and tow one of the ICE vehicles, which was blocking the path of the car in which Tatiana Mafla-Martinez was traveling.

Authorities indicated that the official vehicle contained keys and a firearm stored in a safe inside, which aggravated the accusation against him.

Two days later, federal agents located the tow truck parked at the same apartment complex, which facilitated Nunez’s arrest.

The operation against Tatiana Mafla-Martínez

Mafla-Martinez, a U.S. resident since 2022, has gained notoriety on TikTok, where he has more than 47,000 followers.

Its content consists of live streaming ICE raids and activities in Latino neighborhoods in Los Angeles, alerting the community to the presence of agents.

On the day of the raid, agents used two government vans to surround the influencer’s car as she was leaving a downtown parking lot.

According to the prosecution, the vehicles had their emergency lights activated and the officers were trying to get her to get out of the vehicle.

Witnesses recorded the scene from several angles.

The videos show how a second man approached Mafla-Martinez’s car to interfere, at which point Nunez took advantage of the opportunity to hitch up and take one of the ICE vehicles.

The images even show an officer running after the tow truck to no avail.

Eventually, the influencer was forcibly removed from her car, thrown to the ground and arrested by federal agents.

The procedure was broadcast live on their social networks, sparking a public debate about the legality of the operation and the use of force.

Debate on motivations for arrest

Tatiana Mafla-Martinez’s defense attorney, Carlos Jurado, stated that his client was detained in retaliation for exposing ICE’s activities on TikTok.

“We believe she was attacked because she was filming and alerting immigrants about raids in Los Angeles,” he told local media.

In contrast, the secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Tricia McLaughlin, assured that the arrest was due to a previous conviction against him for driving under the influence of alcohol in 2023 in Los Angeles, and not for his transmissions on social networks.

Tatiana Mafla-Martinez remains detained at an ICE facility on the California-Mexico border, awaiting a judge’s determination of her immigration status.

This case has raised concerns among civil rights organizations in Los Angeles, who warn that the arrest could be interpreted as an attempt to intimidate those who document immigration operations.

For the Hispanic community, which relies on social media alerts to know where raids are occurring, the Mafla-Martinez case reflects the growing tension between digital activism and the actions of immigration authorities.

At the same time, the indictment against Núñez opens a debate about the limits of civilian intervention in federal operations and the legal consequences of confronting immigration agents.