Immigration

Gardener says he was profiled, detained by Border Patrol agents in Bakersfield

Ernesto Campos was released four hours later and not charged.

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Ernesto Campos alleges he was profiled for how looked after being detained and had his tires flattened by ICE agents in Bakersfield. Mekahlo Medino reports for the NBC4 News at 5 p.m on Jan. 29, 2025.

A gardener in Bakersfield is speaking out, saying he believes Border Patrol agents profiled him after being detained in Bakersfield.

Ernesto Campos, a U.S. citizen, recorded a video of the interaction with the agents that he said turned violent.

In the video, recorded from inside Campos' car, you can hear one of the agents tell him "I'm going to break your window if you don't cooperate."

Campos was inside his truck and refused to hand over the keys to the agents after turning off the car. He said the agents proceeded to use a knife to flatten his tires.

"He took a knife and punctured the tires," said Campos. "They only detain people for their looks–the color of their skin."

Campos said his coworker was in the process of dealing with his immigration status and because he acknowledged transporting him, a border patrol agent placed Campos under arrest.

"You are under arrest right now for alien smuggling," said one of the agents recorded on video.

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Campos was released four hours later and was not charged. He said agents gave him a form to fill out to reimburse him for the damaged tires.

NBCLA has reached out to ICE regarding Campos' incident but has not returned a request for comment.

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