(Thechieftainspear) – A Pomona barber, Martin Majin Leon, was detained by federal immigration agents on April 22, only to be released the following Wednesday after spending over 30 hours in custody. The arrest occurred the same day a group of day laborers was taken into custody in a raid outside a local Home Depot, sparking concerns from his family about the nature of his detention.
For nearly two decades, Martin has operated a barber shop on Holt Avenue in Pomona. On the morning of his detention, surveillance footage captured Martin arriving at his shop. As he stepped out of his car to open the gate, a van and an SUV suddenly surrounded him, and several agents armed with guns quickly approached.
His son, Miguel Majin, shared the shocking moment with KTLA’s Shelby Nelson, saying, “They got him at gunpoint, and he just surrendered. It felt unnecessary. My dad’s not a criminal.”
The family held a press conference the following Thursday, where Miguel read a letter his father had written in Spanish, translated into English. In the letter, Martin expressed his distress over the ordeal, stating:
“I’ve been a husband, father, and small business owner here in California for nearly 40 years. I’ve built a life, raised my family, and contributed to my community. But on the morning of April 22, federal agents detained me without any prior warning or explanation. My family didn’t know where I was, and I couldn’t contact them. I was held for over 30 hours without being informed of what was happening.”
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Martin described the emotional toll the incident took on him, noting how it left him shaken and fearful. After being initially taken to a detention facility in Indio, he was transferred to El Centro before eventually being brought to Riverside. His family was able to retrieve him from a Riverside courtroom on Wednesday after his release.
Although Martin had been deported in the early 2000s, he insisted he had nothing to hide and was cooperating fully with the legal process. “The charge against me is related to an immigration issue from over 20 years ago,” he explained. “I trust the legal process and hope the court will consider the life I’ve built here.”
The family continues to seek answers, unsure of which federal agency was responsible for Martin’s detention. While some believe U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) carried out the arrest, the agency has yet to confirm their involvement in his specific case. However, CBP did acknowledge their participation in the detainment of a group of day laborers outside the Pomona Home Depot that same morning.
Hilton Beckham, Assistant Commissioner with CBP, issued a statement explaining the broader operation. “Our agents conducted an operation targeting an individual with an active arrest warrant,” Beckham said. “During the operation, we encountered and detained nine other individuals, several of whom had previous charges, including assault, child abuse, and immigration violations.”
As Martin and his family prepare for the next steps, they are seeking legal advice on how to navigate the ongoing immigration process. Martin’s next court appearance is scheduled for May 29.
