LOS ANGELES, January 16, 2026 — A dispute has erupted between Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman and federal officials over claims that an employee of his office was improperly detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. It’s a charged situation, raising questions about local autonomy and federal overreach—and the details are surprisingly murky.
DA Claims ‘Wrongful Detention’ of Staffer
Hochman alleges an employee was briefly held by ICE on Friday morning.
- District Attorney Nathan Hochman claims an employee was “wrongfully detained” by ICE.
- Federal officials state they have no record of detaining anyone from the DA’s office.
- The incident occurred on January 16, 2026, in Los Angeles County.
- Hochman has contacted federal authorities to address the situation.
“On Friday morning, Jan. 16, 2026, a member of our Office was wrongfully detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). I can thankfully report that, shortly after, our employee was released and is safe,” Hochman said in a written memo distributed within the district attorney’s office. “This incident is unacceptable. Our employee is a dedicated public servant who serves the people of Los Angeles County with professionalism and integrity. This troubling situation caused great distress to our colleague, our co-worker’s family, and our entire Office family.”
A: Hochman asserts that an employee was detained by ICE on January 16, 2026, but was subsequently released. He views this as a wrongful detention and a cause for concern.
The District Attorney’s office spokesperson declined to provide further comment when contacted, directing inquiries to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
Federal Agencies Deny Detention
However, the Department of Homeland Security disputes Hochman’s account. A DHS spokesperson stated, “Neither ICE nor CBP have any record of any employee of the LA County’s DA’s office being detained.” The spokesperson also firmly dismissed any suggestion of racial profiling, calling such allegations “FALSE and disgusting.”
Hochman, in his memo, indicated he “personally reached out to our federal counterparts, among other authorities, to make them aware of this incident and to urge them to be more respectful of the rights of those who reside in our community and ensure this wrongful conduct does not occur again.”
The discrepancy between the District Attorney’s claim and the federal government’s denial leaves the situation unresolved, and raises questions about accountability and transparency in immigration enforcement practices.
