CRBC News
Culture
Society
Security
Health
Conflict
Science
Technology
Politics
Environment
Lifestyle
Economy

Family Fears for Missing Man After Alleged Immigration Detention and Medical Emergency in Los Angeles

Vicente Ventura Aguilar, 44, went missing after relatives say he was detained by immigration agents in Los Angeles on Oct. 7. Video shows him dancing minutes before agents passed through the area; witnesses say he later suffered a severe medical emergency while shackled at an immigration checkpoint and was taken away for care. DHS says its records do not show Vicente among those arrested on the dates in question. Family members, attorneys and a U.S. representative are demanding answers as searches of hospitals and official records continue.

09:33 AM, 11/25/2025Society
Family Fears for Missing Man After Alleged Immigration Detention and Medical Emergency in Los Angeles

Vicente Ventura Aguilar, a 44-year-old Mexican man, has been missing for more than a month after his family says he was detained by immigration agents in Los Angeles on Oct. 7. Video reviewed by reporters shows him smiling and dancing with a friend on a sidewalk minutes before masked agents moved through the area. Relatives say he left home that morning for a job interview and ran into acquaintances.

Alleged detention and medical emergency

According to family members, attorneys and witnesses, a friend who was detained with Vicente said he was later held at a short-term federal holding area known as B-18. The next day, while a group of detainees was being moved toward the U.S.–Mexico border, witnesses say Vicente experienced a severe medical emergency at an immigration checkpoint: he reportedly shook violently, lost consciousness and fell while shackled. Those present described him as having a bleeding face and convulsing arms and legs before other detainees were ordered out and he was taken away for care.

“We’re sad and worried. He’s my brother and we miss him here at home. He’s a very good person. We only hope to God that he’s alive,” said Felipe Aguilar, Vicente’s brother.

Official response and family actions

The Department of Homeland Security has told investigators that records for Oct. 7–8 show 73 people from Mexico were arrested in Los Angeles during that period, but officials say none of those records match Vicente Ventura Aguilar. DHS also said people in federal custody have access to phones to contact family members and attorneys. Family attorneys, however, report they have received no substantive response to repeated inquiries.

Vicente’s attorney, Lindsay Toczylowski, co-founder of the Immigrant Defenders Law Center, said she has pressed federal agencies for answers and criticized the lack of responsiveness. Relatives and legal representatives have searched hospitals, filed a missing-person report with local police, and believe Vicente may have been recorded under a different name when processed.

Political oversight

Representative Sydney Kamlager-Dove has intervened on the family's behalf, writing to leaders at immigration agencies requesting any records or information that could identify a detainee who experienced a medical emergency matching Vicente’s description. She called on agencies to search alternate name spellings or aliases and asked whether anyone in custody suffered a similar medical crisis.

Family members continue to press for information and hope that federal agencies will provide clarity about Vicente’s whereabouts and condition.

Similar Articles

Trending