Man seeks justice after ICE encounter in Naples Manor left him hospitalized

Isael Trejo, a U.S. citizen, is seeking justice after an encounter with ICE agents during a protest left him hospitalized with a collapsed lung and fractured ribs. “I’m demanding justice for what happened to me,” Trejo said, translated from Spanish. Trejo, who was discharged from the hospital just hours before speaking with Gulf Coast News, said the incident occurred around 7 p.m. Wednesday while he was getting dinner at a food truck. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents had detained someone nearby, and community protesters had gathered to rally against the arrest. “It was at night, around 7 p.m. There was a big crowd because ICE agents were there, and there were a lot of people. I think they had someone detained,” Trejo said. Trejo said tensions escalated when someone threw a rock, prompting a reaction from ICE agents. He described the agents as already armed and warning people to move away. “Before that, they were already bringing out weapons and pointing them. They were warning people to move away. The crowd backed up a little, and that’s when I ran,” Trejo said. Trejo said he felt scared and began running, but ICE agents chased him. “At that point, I ran. I don’t know why — I felt like they were coming at people aggressively. That’s when an ICE agent knocked me down. I told him, ‘I’m an American citizen,’ but they didn’t hear me. They couldn’t understand me because I don’t speak English,” Trejo said. Trejo said he was punched several times in the ribs, leaving him with strained ribs and a collapsed lung. He also sustained scratches on his body and said he was pepper-sprayed after being detained. “I asked for a doctor because I was in pain. One of the ICE agents just laughed. I told him I was hurting,” Trejo said. Trejo said he was released without charges and went to the hospital, where doctors diagnosed him with a collapsed lung requiring oxygen assistance. “I’m a U.S. citizen. My parents took me to Mexico when I was 5. I came back to Florida in 2023. That’s why I don’t speak English,” Trejo said. Trejo showed his U.S. passport, which lists the United States as his country of origin. He said he is seeking justice while continuing to recover from his injuries. “They have no compassion. I don’t think what they’re doing is right,” Trejo said. ICE has not yet responded to requests for details on why Trejo was detained. DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for the latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment, and original programming on your TV.