Federal immigration authorities arrested the husband of a California city councilwoman in a Walmart parking lot, sparking backlash from his wife.

Isidro Jimenez-Ibanez, 51, the husband of Coachella City Council Member Yadira Perez, was taken into custody by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in what officials described as a “targeted enforcement action.”

Jimenez-Ibanez, who is originally from Mexico, has a criminal history that includes convictions for domestic violence, driving under the influence (DUI), and assault with a deadly weapon, according to Newsweek.

ICE officials have ramped up enforcement against illegal immigrants with criminal records amid growing concerns over public safety and immigration policy.

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Video footage from the arrest shows Perez visibly distressed as ICE agents take her husband into custody.

She accused law enforcement of failing to provide proper documentation for the arrest, despite Jimenez-Ibanez’s prior convictions.

“These are FBI agents who work for Border Patrol. I want everybody to know!” Perez shouted in the video.

She later added, “Eight FBI agents surrounded us and said they had a deportation order for my husband. They never showed me anything. They never showed my husband anything.”

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Perez, who has been married to Jimenez-Ibanez for 20 years, argued that her husband had already served his penalties and had been living a stable life in the United States.

“Whatever he did, he paid for it,” she said. “And he had been here doing everything he had to do. We did our taxes.”

Federal officials took a different position, stating that Jimenez-Ibanez’s prior convictions made him a priority for deportation.

His arrest follows increased pressure on immigration authorities to crack down on individuals with criminal backgrounds who have re-entered the country illegally.

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California has been at the center of a national immigration debate, with state and local policies often clashing with federal enforcement efforts.

While sanctuary policies in California limit local cooperation with ICE, federal agents have continued to target individuals with criminal histories.

Jimenez-Ibanez is no stranger to law enforcement.

Records show he was first removed from the United States in 1995 following a conviction for possession of methamphetamine for sale.

After illegally re-entering the country, he was later convicted again in Riverside County for assault with a deadly weapon.

Following her husband’s arrest, Perez resigned from her position at the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, where she had worked for nearly two decades.

According to NBC, her resignation came after she was notified of an impending investigation into her involvement in the case.

Perez’s resignation has raised questions about her continued role in city government.

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While she remains on the Coachella City Council, it is unclear whether the controversy surrounding her husband’s arrest will affect her standing.

Local officials have yet to comment on whether she will face any repercussions.

Jimenez-Ibanez was released on bond and is currently awaiting a court hearing. His next court date is scheduled for April, according to KESQ.

His case is part of a broader federal effort to enforce immigration laws against individuals with past criminal convictions.

While supporters of sanctuary policies argue that such enforcement actions disrupt families, ICE officials have maintained that targeting individuals with criminal records is essential to public safety.

With legal proceedings set to continue, the case has become another flashpoint in the ongoing immigration debate in California.

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