George Retes, a U.S. Army veteran and father of two, says he was wrongfully detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in July and is now challenging the federal government, claiming he is being targeted for speaking out about his experience.

Retes, who enlisted at 18 and served a tour in Iraq, was working as a security guard at Glass House Farms in Camarillo on July 10 when federal agents confronted him. According to Retes, officers broke his car window, deployed pepper spray, and placed him in handcuffs while he recorded the encounter. “They did not care what I had to tell them or what I had to say, or if I was a citizen, they just didn’t care,” Retes told KTLA.

He was arrested and held for three days at the Metropolitan Detention Center in downtown Los Angeles before being released without charges. Retes says he never received an explanation for the detention.

In September, Retes authored an op-ed in the San Francisco Chronicle titled “I’m a U.S. Citizen who was wrongly arrested and held by ICE. Here’s why you could be next,” recounting his experience and calling for federal accountability. “I served my country. I wore the uniform, I stood watch, and I believe in the values we say make us different. And yet here, on our own soil, I was wrongfully detained. Stripped of my rights, treated like I didn’t belong and locked away,” he wrote.

A day after the op-ed was published, the Department of Homeland Security tweeted that Retes’ arrest stemmed from assault, stating he “became violent and refused to comply with law enforcement” and “blocked their route by refusing to move his vehicle out of the road.” Retes says the characterization is misleading and that video evidence supports his account.

When asked whether he believes the DHS statement was retaliation for his op-ed, Retes replied, “I would just say that they’re scared, all they know how to do is spin whatever story they can in their way, try to promote whatever they want.”

KTLA reached out to DHS for clarification regarding the assault allegation. As of the time of reporting, the agency had not responded.

Retes has filed a claim against the U.S. government through his attorney, seeking accountability for his detention and aiming to prevent similar incidents for other citizens. He has also launched a GoFundMe campaign to help cover legal expenses related to the case, stating that his goal is not only personal redress but also to ensure that others do not face the same treatment.

Rachel Menitoff’s reporting contributed to this article.

George Retes, a U.S. Army veteran and father of two, says he was wrongfully detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in July and is now challenging the federal government, claiming he is being targeted for speaking out about his experience.

Retes, who enlisted at 18 and served a tour in Iraq, was working as a security guard at Glass House Farms in Camarillo on July 10 when federal agents confronted him. According to Retes, officers broke his car window, deployed pepper spray, and placed him in handcuffs while he recorded the encounter. “They did not care what I had to tell them or what I had to say, or if I was a citizen, they just didn’t care,” Retes told KTLA.

He was arrested and held for three days at the Metropolitan Detention Center in downtown Los Angeles before being released without charges. Retes says he never received an explanation for the detention.

In September, Retes authored an op-ed in the San Francisco Chronicle titled “I’m a U.S. Citizen who was wrongly arrested and held by ICE. Here’s why you could be next,” recounting his experience and calling for federal accountability. “I served my country. I wore the uniform, I stood watch, and I believe in the values we say make us different. And yet here, on our own soil, I was wrongfully detained. Stripped of my rights, treated like I didn’t belong and locked away,” he wrote.

A day after the op-ed was published, the Department of Homeland Security tweeted that Retes’ arrest stemmed from assault, stating he “became violent and refused to comply with law enforcement” and “blocked their route by refusing to move his vehicle out of the road.” Retes says the characterization is misleading and that video evidence supports his account.

When asked whether he believes the DHS statement was retaliation for his op-ed, Retes replied, “I would just say that they’re scared, all they know how to do is spin whatever story they can in their way, try to promote whatever they want.”

KTLA reached out to DHS for clarification regarding the assault allegation. As of the time of reporting, the agency had not responded.

Retes has filed a claim against the U.S. government through his attorney, seeking accountability for his detention and aiming to prevent similar incidents for other citizens. He has also launched a GoFundMe campaign to help cover legal expenses related to the case, stating that his goal is not only personal redress but also to ensure that others do not face the same treatment.

Rachel Menitoff’s reporting contributed to this article.