Eighteen-year-old Kenny Laynez-Ambrosio records his own arrest in North Palm Beach, FL, on the morning of May 2nd, 2025. He was being driven to his job landscape business by his mother and two friends when the Florida Highway Patrol stopped their pickup. Here’s how the incident moved so rapidly from there. Things spun out of control, resulting in accusations of excessive force by police and charges for Laynez-Ambrosio for obstructing a police officer.
Kenny’s mom was driving the work van, whose license was already under a suspension at the date of the stop. Included in his group of friends was an undocumented immigrant, making the stakes of the encounter even higher. As the officers approached, Kenny can be heard in the video urging his friend in Spanish not to resist arrest. The air was electric with tension. After another woman officer moved closer, she asked the driver and passengers if she had anyone in the vehicle illegally.
While recording, Kenny saw some of the most striking moments. Two officers stun-gunned the one friend while placing the other in a chokehold. That shocking video has reportedly led to major outcry and concern about what’s happening to immigrant communities and police enforcement.
“You’ve got no rights here. You’re a migo, brother.” – Unidentified officer
Beyond the physical altercations, officers were sharing some alarming views throughout the arrest as well. One unnamed officer went so far as to say, “We’re going to kill some of them.” As one participating officer added, “Just don’t forget, you can taste that $30,000 bonus,” a deeply troubling incentive tied to the federal immigration enforcement quotas.
Charges against Kenny Laynez-Ambrosio for filming the arrest and allegedly obstructing lawful police business now await his arraignment. His attorney, Jack Scarola, contends these charges are retaliatory in nature for simply writing down what happened. Scarola’s main point here is that no deliberate interference was sought. Instead, it was just the arbitrary violation of a First Amendment right to record the government at work.
Father Frank O’Loughlin, founder & executive director of the Guatemalan-Maya Center that Kenny founded & led for many years, has stepped forward to testify on Kenny’s behalf. At the time he described the incident as reflective of what is “rotten and rotten” within law enforcement.
“This is a story about the corruption of law enforcement by Maga and the brutality of state and federal troopers – formerly public servants – towards nonviolent people.” – Father Frank O’Loughlin
Her arrest has sent shockwaves through Florida’s immigrant community. This incident has further emboldened mistrust of these communities in local police departments. Thousands are terrified that these incidents erase their safety and rights, turning every encounter with law enforcement into a potential life-or-death situation.
In appearance before Congress, Kenny said it was possible for the situation to have been something other than a disaster.
“It didn’t need to go down like that. If they knew that my people were undocumented, they could’ve just kindly taken them out of the car and arrested them.” – Kenny Laynez-Ambrosio
As this case develops, there are serious questions about law enforcement practices that need addressing. It further illuminates the significant anti-undocumented immigrant sentiment in Florida. Warnings about quotas set by the federal government for immigrant arrests have been sounded by multiple actors, including law enforcement on the ground. These quotas allegedly encourage the use of profiling and aggressive policing tactics, deepening distrust among communities already vulnerable and targeted.
Jack Scarola pointed out that the aggressive approach taken by officers during this incident reflects a concerning trend in law enforcement interactions with immigrant populations.
“The federal government has imposed quotas for the arrest of immigrants.” – Jack Scarola
Órganos’ death, the terrible aftermath of this incident will hopefully usher in a long overdue conversation about police accountability and reform here in Florida. As transportation advocacy groups pointed out in their advocacy efforts preceding and during this disaster, we can’t let things like this happen again.