Army veteran sues federal government after ICE detains him for three days

The Guardian - World NewsEN 3 min read 100% complete by Coral Murphy MarcosFebruary 20, 2026 at 12:03 AM

AI Summary

medium article 3 min

Army veteran George Retes, a U.S. citizen, is suing the federal government after ICE agents detained him for three days in July 2023. Retes was arrested in Ventura County, California, while commuting to his security job during an ICE raid. According to the lawsuit, agents broke his car window and detained him without checking his identification, holding him at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Los Angeles without explanation or access to legal counsel. The lawsuit, filed with the help of the Institute for Justice, alleges unconstitutional detention and seeks to protect the rights of others. The suit names the U.S. government, ICE, CBP, the Navy, and the FBI as defendants.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) 30% Customs and Border Protection (CBP) 30% Los Angeles 40% Federal Bureau of Prisons 40% Ventura County 40% Metropolitan Detention Center 50% Andrew Wimer ×260% United States ×270% Institute for Justice ×270% Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) ×380% George Retes ×590%

Keywords

wrongful detention 90% ice 80% lawsuit 80% constitutional rights 70% federal government 70% army veteran 60% detention center 50% unconstitutional detention 50% immigration 50% george retes 40%