A California judge on Monday ordered a man shot multiple times during an Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrest to remain in custody, citing flight-risk concerns. Carlos Ivan Mendoza Hernandez, 36, who holds dual citizenship from El Salvador and Mexico, was shot during an enforcement stop on April 7 in Patterson, about 75 miles southeast of San Francisco. He is charged with assaulting a federal officer for allegedly striking an ICE agent with his car before reversing into a law enforcement vehicle, according to court documents.
The shooting is among a documented series that have occurred during the Trump administration’s aggressive push to detain and deport immigrants in the country illegally, with video evidence in some cases contradicting officials’ initial accounts of the circumstances.
Defense Disputes Gang Claims and Circumstances
Patrick Kolasinski, one of Mendoza’s lawyers, disputed the government’s characterization of his client. According to the lawyer, Mendoza panicked when confronted by ICE agents and attempted to flee; he did not intend to strike anyone with his vehicle. Kolasinski rejected claims by federal officials that Mendoza was a suspected gang member wanted in El Salvador for questioning in connection with a murder case.
Court documents from El Salvador show Mendoza was acquitted of murder charges in that country. Mendoza has denied any gang affiliation, according to his lawyer.
Mendoza sustained multiple gunshot wounds during the April 7 incident and has undergone several surgeries to treat his injuries.
Official Account and Broader Pattern
The Department of Homeland Security said the ICE officers fired defensive shots after Mendoza drove toward them. The agency said the officers were conducting an enforcement stop targeting Mendoza in Patterson.
The shooting reflects a pattern of enforcement operations during the Trump administration’s intensified push to detain and deport immigrants living in the country illegally. Video evidence in some cases has contradicted officials’ initial accounts of what occurred, raising questions about how federal agencies describe the circumstances of these incidents.
Mendoza’s next court appearance is scheduled for early May.