A Colombian social media influencer known for documenting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations in Los Angeles was detained by agents on Friday while livestreaming, as reported by The Western Journal.
According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Leidy Tatiana Mafla-Martinez entered the United States illegally in 2022 and was released under Biden administration policies. DHS confirmed that she was convicted of driving under the influence in Los Angeles prior to her detention.
The arrest was captured live as Mafla-Martinez was driving a Tesla. In the video, she can be heard yelling, “Wait, stop! No, no, no!” before shouting “esperte, esperte!” — Spanish for “wait, wait” — as ICE officers took her into custody.
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A left-leaning anti-ICE account on X, posting under the handle @LongTimeHistory, circulated the video, claiming the arrest was “violent” and “targeted.”
The account wrote that Mafla-Martinez “is well-known to ICE as [a] community activist who films raids in Los Angeles, California — it seems she has been targeted for an especially brutal arrest to make an example out of her.”
She runs a large anti-ICE TikTok account—now agents caught on livestream targeting her in violent arrest.
Agents drag her out of Tesla & throw her on ground where she lay unresponsive—then rushed by ambulance to hospital.She is well-known to ICE as community activist who films… pic.twitter.com/co7oDbzkxC— LongTime FirstTime (@LongTimeHistory) August 16, 2025
ICE officials rejected that characterization.
You bet we did, @Newsweek.
Leidy Tatiana Mafla-Martinez is a CRIMINAL ILLEGAL ALIEN from Colombia who was convicted for driving under the influence in Los Angeles. Martinez entered the country in 2022 and was RELEASED by the Biden administration.Under President Trump and… pic.twitter.com/cl82yI8Ixx— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) August 18, 2025
DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said the influencer received medical attention after claiming she had shortness of breath during the arrest.
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“During her arrest, Martinez claimed to experience shortness of breath. She was given proper medical treatment and will be held in ICE custody pending removal proceedings,” McLaughlin said, according to the Daily Mail.
The incident also involved interference from bystanders. McLaughlin reported that one individual attempted to obstruct ICE during the arrest by towing a government vehicle.
“During the arrest, an individual unlawfully towed a government police vehicle. He mocked and videotaped ICE officers chasing after him."
McLaughlin added that DHS Secretary Kristi Noem has directed that “anyone who seeks to impede law enforcement will be found and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
Mafla-Martinez has more than 40,000 followers on TikTok, where she posts content related to immigration enforcement in Southern California. Her detention means her removal proceedings will now move forward.
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