A naturalized U.S. citizen from Iran filed a $50 million federal claim Thursday, alleging Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents violated his civil rights by tackling him during a September 9 raid at his Los Angeles car wash business.
Rafie Ollah Shouhed, 79, sustained multiple broken ribs, chest trauma, elbow injuries, and exhibits symptoms consistent with traumatic brain injury following the incident, according to the claim filed against the Department of Homeland Security, ICE, and Customs and Border Protection.
Surveillance footage from inside the car wash shows a federal officer running through a hallway, encountering Shouhed, and knocking him to the ground before continuing past. External footage captures Shouhed approaching a federal officer detaining one of his employees, briefly grappling with a second officer before a third agent tackles him to the ground.
DHS officials defended the operation, stating authorities arrested five individuals from Guatemala and Mexico “who broke our nation’s immigration laws” and that Shouhed “impeded the operation and was arrested for assaulting and impeding a federal officer.”
Shouhed and attorney V. James DeSimone disputed the assault allegations during a Thursday press conference. Shouhed recalled asking officers, “What can I do for you? Can I help you?” He intended to show agents documentation proving his employees’ work eligibility, though the surveillance footage contains no audio.
“This is the way ICE is operating in our community,” DeSimone said. “They use physical force, they don’t speak to the people in order to ascertain who is there legally in order to do their job. Instead, they immediately resort to force.”
Following detention, Shouhed showed identification to officers at the detention center. He was held for 12 hours before release without charges, according to the claim.
The federal government has six months to settle or deny the claim before Shouhed can file a federal lawsuit.
The incident represents part of a pattern of civil rights claims against federal immigration enforcement in Southern California. Andrea Velez was detained June 24 while traveling to work in downtown Los Angeles, held for two days, and faced obstruction charges that were eventually dropped.
Federal immigration enforcement tactics have drawn increased scrutiny for aggressive raid procedures. While DHS typically defends operational methods, the agency issued rare criticism of one officer Friday after he pushed an Ecuadorian woman to the floor at a New York courthouse.
The $50 million claim amount reflects the severity of Shouhed’s alleged injuries and the potential long-term medical consequences of the incident. Traumatic brain injury symptoms in elderly individuals can lead to permanent cognitive impairment and reduced quality of life.
Civil rights advocates argue that aggressive enforcement tactics disproportionately affect communities and result in violations of constitutional protections, particularly when U.S. citizens become collateral damage during immigration operations.
The case highlights ongoing tensions between immigration enforcement priorities and civil liberties protections as federal agencies conduct expanded deportation operations nationwide.
