Napoleon Magana, a 20-year-old Mexican asylum seeker, claims he was detained during an ICE operation in Gresham, Oregon, even though the agents were looking for someone else.

His case, which includes a viral video recorded by his sister, has reignited the debate about errors in immigration operations and the lack of clarity in some detentions.

An operation that resulted in an unexpected arrest

According to KPTV/FOX 12, Magana was in the bedroom of an apartment on October 15 when federal agents raided the residence looking for a man named “Israel.” In the video captured by his sister, the agents can be heard repeatedly mentioning that name, while the family tries to explain that the person did not live there.

The young man told the media outlet that he tried to explain to the agents that he had an active asylum case, permission to remain legally, and that he had no criminal record.

“I told them I hadn’t done anything wrong, that I had my case in court, but they took me anyway,” Magana recounted.

ICE’s Official Version

According to a statement cited by KPTV, the agency indicated that agents were following an undocumented immigrant with a criminal record. The alleged suspect reportedly entered an apartment and refused to surrender, which led to ICE personnel entering the property.

The agency confirmed that two men of Mexican origin were detained during the operation, including Magana and Arturo Cabrera, the young man’s mother’s partner. However, ICE did not clarify whether there was a specific warrant against Magana or whether the agency confirmed that he was not the person originally sought.

Family and friends of the young man quickly shared the video on social media, denouncing that ICE entered the wrong apartment and that those detained had no connection to the individual they were looking for.

Magana insisted that he had never heard of “Israel” and that he didn't know how he ended up involved in the operation. “I think they went to the wrong place.”“We didn’t know the person they were looking for, and we had nothing to do with that situation,” he explained to the local media outlet.

Two Weeks in Detention and Complaints About Conditions

After his arrest, Magana was transferred to the ICE detention center in Tacoma, Washington. According to what he told KPTV, he found severe overcrowding, with up to 70 people sharing a single cell, many of them with pending immigration proceedings and no criminal record.

The young man says his time in custody was especially difficult due to the lack of information about his case and his fear of being deported despite having an active legal process in the country.

To date, ICE has not offered a detailed public explanation about the reasons for Magana's detention or the relationship between the operation and his immigration status. The young man continues his asylum process and remains awaiting a court date.