UPDATE: A 79-year-old U.S. citizen is taking urgent legal action, filing a staggering $50 million civil rights claim after a violent immigration raid at his Van Nuys car wash on September 9, 2025. Rafie Ollah Shouhed, the owner of Valley Car Wash, alleges he was brutally body slammed and restrained by federal agents from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), U.S. Border Patrol, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) during the incident.
According to Shouhed, he was inside his business at 7530 Van Nuys Blvd when masked agents stormed in. Surveillance footage reviewed by KTLA shows a federal agent shoving him to the ground in a hallway. Shouhed claims he stepped outside to provide proof that his employees were legally authorized to work but was met with aggression.
“You don’t F with ICE. We are here,” Shouhed recalled the agents saying as they violently restrained him. Despite informing them of his recent heart surgery and inability to breathe, his pleas were ignored.
After being handcuffed and taken to the Metropolitan Detention Center in Los Angeles, Shouhed was held for nearly 12 hours without medical attention. Agents later acknowledged his citizenship but denied him phone calls to his family before releasing him without charges. He subsequently sought medical treatment for multiple broken ribs, elbow injuries, contusions, and post-concussive symptoms of a traumatic brain injury.
Shouhed’s attorney, V. James DeSimone, described the federal agents’ actions as “outrageous and unlawful,” asserting that they violated both federal and California civil rights laws. The civil rights claim outlines allegations of assault, battery, and deliberate indifference to his serious medical condition, asserting that DHS, ICE, and CBP maintain policies that tolerate excessive force.
Shouhed’s family reported that five of his employees were also detained during the raid, raising serious concerns about the conduct of federal agents during the operation. The DHS stated that the raid targeted five undocumented immigrants but alleged that Shouhed was arrested for impeding a federal officer.
A press conference is scheduled for Thursday, September 25, at the offices of V. James DeSimone Law in Marina del Rey, where Shouhed will speak publicly about his experience. The event will also be streamed live on Instagram at @civilrightslawyerjimdesimone.
This developing story highlights the urgent need for accountability in federal immigration enforcement practices and raises critical questions about the treatment of U.S. citizens during such operations. As this case unfolds, it is poised to draw significant attention to civil rights in America.
