Andreina Mejia stood in front of reporters with her 15-year-old son and described a nightmare no parent ever wants to relive. On August 11, outside Arleta High School in Los Angeles, armed federal agents surrounded their car and detained her son at gunpoint. The boy, who has special needs, was handcuffed before agents realized they had the wrong person.

“No kids should go through what my son has gone through, especially since he says he has nightmares,” Mejia told NBC Los Angeles during a press conference. She is now seeking $1 million in damages, filing a claim against the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and its agencies.

The moment immigration agents mistake a 15-year-old for a suspect

Mejia’s son, identified by his initials BG, was waiting in the car with his mother while his sister enrolled in school. According to local media, masked men suddenly surrounded the vehicle and targeted the teen.

“They handcuffed me. And they were just telling me who this person is, and I said, ‘No, I don’t know who that person is,’” BG said.

Agents later told the family they had confused him with someone else. Mejia recalled that one agent even told her son to “look at the bright side: you’re gonna have an exciting story to tell your friends when you go back to school.” She responded: “What’s exciting about getting guns pointed at you?”

DHS pushes back while attorneys dispute claims

The Department of Homeland Security described the legal action as a “case study of billboard law firms trying to turn family resemblance into racial animus to collect clicks, clout, and cash.” In its statement, DHS insisted that agents were conducting a targeted operation in the area for Cristian Alexander Vasquez-Alvarenga, a Salvadoran national and suspected MS-13 member with prior convictions.

“Allegations that Border Patrol targeted Arleta High School are FALSE,” the statement read.

However, Michael Carrillo, an attorney representing Mejia, told NBC Los Angeles that DHS’s version of events was “incorrect and false.” He emphasized that the family did not assist in the apprehension of the unrelated suspect and said the incident violated the boy’s civil rights.

Community leaders rally after Latina mom files claim

The legal claim has fueled concern across Los Angeles schools. The Los Angeles Unified School District said it has “strengthened safety measures at and around our schools,” citing new protocols and visible presence in communities. Superintendent Alberto Carvalho called the incident “unacceptable,” adding that immigration enforcement around schools “disrupts learning and creates anxiety that can last far beyond the school day.”

Congresswoman Luz Rivas also condemned the Trump administration’s “continued use of violent tactics to terrorize our students and families.”

This Latina mom says her fight is just beginning

The claim, filed by the Carrillo law firm, accuses agents of false imprisonment, racial profiling, and negligence. According to The Guardian, it also alleges agents left live bullet rounds on the scene.

Mejia’s attorneys said the federal government has six months to respond before they move forward with a civil rights lawsuit. Meanwhile, her son is in therapy, coping with trauma and depression since the encounter.

“This is a fight to make sure no child has to live through this again,” Carrillo said.

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