LOS ANGELES — A South Los Angeles man and tow truck driver was arrested Sept. 2 on a federal criminal complaint charging him with stealing government property by illegally towing a law enforcement vehicle during an active immigration enforcement operation earlier this month.

Bobby Nunez, 33, is charged with theft of government property. His initial appearance was scheduled for Sept. 2 in the U.S. District Court in Los Angeles.

“Interfering with federal law enforcement officers during the performance of their duties has serious consequences, which the defendant has now discovered,” said HSI Los Angeles Special Agent in Charge Eddy Wang. “HSI Los Angeles is committed to bringing swift accountability to all that impede, obstruct or assault federal law enforcement officers.”

This incident highlights the growing challenges federal law enforcement officials face in jurisdictions that refuse to cooperate with ICE. Policies in so-called “sanctuary cities” embolden people to obstruct lawful immigration enforcement efforts, creating unnecessary risks to public safety and undermining the rule of law.

When bystanders or protesters deliberately interfere with trained federal officers during an active enforcement operation, they endanger the public, law enforcement personnel and themselves. ICE remains committed to enforcing federal immigration laws and urges local jurisdictions to prioritize public safety by cooperating with federal authorities to prevent dangerous stunts like this from occurring in the future.

Read more on Justice.gov .