El Paso Police arrest a migrant in front of Sacred Heart Church on Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2023.
Los Angeles, California – A Los Angeles man facing deportation proceedings has been charged with assaulting a federal agent after allegedly spitting on an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer earlier this week during the execution of an arrest warrant.
Omar Pulido Bastida, 41, was charged with a felony count of assault on a federal employee, a charge that carries a statutory maximum sentence of eight years in federal prison. The incident occurred Tuesday morning at his residence in the Historic South Central neighborhood of Los Angeles.
Pulido is already facing separate federal charges for illegal re-entry into the United States after a prior removal. He made an initial appearance Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Santa Ana and was ordered detained pending further proceedings. His arraignment on the new assault charge is scheduled for July 16 in Los Angeles.
According to a sworn affidavit filed with the criminal complaint, a deportation officer from ICE arrived at Pulido’s home with a warrant for his arrest. The officer announced his presence at the door, at which point Pulido appeared on a second-story balcony and exchanged words with the agent. After retreating inside, Pulido later opened the front door, separated from the agent by a metal security gate.
When the officer informed Pulido of the warrant, the affidavit alleges Pulido said, “No, get out of here. I know my rights. I’m calling my lawyer,” and then spat through the gate, hitting the officer in the face. The officer had leaned in close to the gate in order to communicate with Pulido. Following the alleged assault, Pulido withdrew into the home.
ICE personnel then forced entry into the property, locating Pulido hiding in a second-story storage room. Upon discovery, he reportedly surrendered, saying, “OK, you got me.”
In a statement released Wednesday, U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli defended the federal government’s response to the incident, characterizing it as a matter of respect for law enforcement. “Law enforcement officers risk their lives and safety to uphold the law,” Essayli said. “To treat them with the disrespect, like this defendant did, mocks our great nation and such behavior will be punished accordingly.”
