Arrest of Colombian migrant influencer sparks controversy amid ICE raid

Caught on camera and crying out in defiance, a Colombian migrant influencer found herself in the grip of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in a dramatic Los Angeles takedown emblematic of White House priorities, an event that has everyone talking, as the Daily Mail reports.

Leidy Tatiana Mafla-Martinez, known for her viral social media posts on immigration raids, was arrested by ICE while livestreaming from her Tesla on Friday, an event compounded by a tragic death during a separate ICE operation just a day prior.

Let’s rewind to Thursday, when chaos erupted at a Home Depot in Los Angeles County on Mountain Avenue.

Tragic death amid Home Depot raid

At around 9:45 a.m., police in Monrovia got word of an ICE raid at the store, sending day laborers scattering with shouts of warning in Spanish to run from immigration authorities.

Just five minutes later, at 9:50 a.m., a heartbreaking call came in — a man fleeing the raid had darted onto the 210 Freeway after jumping a wall and crossing streets, only to be struck by a vehicle.

Though he was still moving after the impact, the unidentified man was pronounced dead at a local hospital, a grim reminder of the high stakes in these enforcement actions.

Day laborer’s front-row seat to tragedy

One day laborer, who frequents the Home Depot for work, captured the pandemonium on his phone, escaping the raid himself but feeling powerless to help others.

“It feels horrible — I couldn’t do anything for them other than record what was happening,” he lamented.

That raw emotion speaks volumes, but it’s worth noting that fleeing into traffic isn’t a solution; it’s a tragedy waiting to happen, and better systems must be in place to prevent such desperate acts.

Influencer’s arrest caught on livestream

Fast forward to Friday, when Mafla-Martinez, who entered the U.S. in 2022, became the center of her own viral moment as ICE agents descended on her in Los Angeles.

While livestreaming from her Tesla to her 40,000 TikTok followers—many drawn by her posts on raids and anti-ICE protests — she was ordered out of the car, shrieking in protest and pleading in Spanish to wait.

Footage shows officers physically removing her from the vehicle as she resisted, eventually writhing on the ground before being taken into custody, a scene that’s as unsettling as it is divisive.

Official statements, public backlash ensue

“On August 15, ICE arrested Leidy Tatiana Mafla-Martinez, a criminal unauthorized migrant from Colombia who was convicted for driving under the influence in Los Angeles,” stated Assistant DHS Secretary Tricia McLaughlin.

McLaughlin’s words cut sharply, and while some might bristle at the label, it’s a fact that past convictions, like Mafla-Martinez’s DUI, don’t vanish from the record — turns out actions have consequences, even for social media stars.

Adding to the tension, McLaughlin noted that during the arrest, Martinez reported breathing difficulties and received medical care, and she’ll remain in custody pending removal proceedings, while an onlooker’s stunt of towing a government vehicle only muddied the waters further.