Fullerton police say ICE agent pulled gun on woman recording him in Santa Ana

laist.com · By Frank Stoltze · 2025-11-11T19:49:50.551

Frank Stoltze is a veteran reporter who covers local politics and examines how democracy is and, at times, is not working. Published Nov 11, 2025 11:49 AM Fullerton police say and an ICE agent pulled a gun on a woman recording him in an incident that was caught on videotape.(Hyoung Chang/Denver Post via Getty Images) Topline: An Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent pointed a gun toward a woman who was allegedly following and recording him on Sunday in Santa Ana, according to police in nearby Fullerton and a social media video post. The details: The Fullerton Police Department said in a Facebook post Sunday that one of its officers witnessed a man getting out of his car at the intersection of Santa Ana Boulevard and Shelton Street and pointing a gun in the direction of a woman in another car. When the Fullerton officer stopped to investigate, the man presented credentials showing he was an ICE agent and said he had stopped the woman because she was following and recording him, according to the post.Tense moments: The incident was caught on video and shared by media outlets, including LA Taco. The man who identified himself as an ICE agent appears to be in plainclothes and holding a gun. A tense verbal exchange follows. A woman’s voice can be heard in the video asking what the man is doing, noting that he pointed the gun at her and questioning why local police are “helping” him. When the man says, “You can’t be following us,” she yells, “I live here!” Keep up with LAist. If you're enjoying this article, you'll love our daily newsletter, The LA Report. Each weekday, catch up on the 5 most pressing stories to start your morning in 3 minutes or less. Not a crime: The Fullerton officer told the agent he could not assist with someone following or recording him if no crime had occurred, the department said in its post. The woman left the area shortly afterward. The officer then left the scene, the department said. Listen 0:46 Fullerton police say ICE agent pulled gun on woman recording him in Santa Ana The Fullerton post said its officers would assist ICE “in situations involving immediate officer safety,” however, state law prohibits local law enforcement from participating in immigration enforcement. ICE response: LAist sent an email to ICE seeking comment and is awaiting response. In a statement to CBS LA, ICE said the woman was trying to "cause a collision." "To defend himself, following the aggression of the driver and her refusal to follow law enforcement commands, our officer followed his training and drew his weapon," Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in the statement. You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our connected community. We are free to tell the full truth, to hold power to account without fear or favor, and to follow facts wherever they lead. Our only loyalty is to our audiences and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen our community.Right now, LAist has lost $1.7M in annual funding due to Congress clawing back money already approved. The support we receive from readers like you will determine how fully our newsroom can continue informing, serving, and strengthening Southern California.If this story helped you today, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.Your tax-deductible donation keeps LAist independent and accessible to everyone. Make your tax-deductible donation today