In a dramatic culmination of a month-long manhunt, FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino announced the arrest of Elpidio Reyna, a 39-year-old man from Compton, California, who had been on the run since June 7 following a violent clash between federal authorities and protesters during a border operation in Paramount.
The incident, which left at least one federal officer injured and several government vehicles damaged, became a flashpoint in the growing tension between state leaders and federal immigration enforcement actions under the Trump administration.
The arrest occurred early Wednesday morning at the San Ysidro Port of Entry, one of the busiest land border crossings in the world, located between San Diego and Tijuana.
Reyna was taken into custody by FBI agents in coordination with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), ending a tense cross-border investigation that extended deep into Mexican territory.
According to the FBI, Reyna had fled to his native Mexico shortly after the attack and remained hidden for several weeks in the state of Sinaloa. He was eventually apprehended by Mexican authorities after intense pressure and surveillance, and following negotiation efforts, he agreed to surrender to U.S. officials.
The suspect was then escorted back across the border and transported directly to Los Angeles, where he appeared before a U.S. Magistrate Judge to face a felony charge of assault on a federal officer.
The arrest was personally announced by Bongino on his official FBI X account. “You may remember Elpidio Reyna, a subject who allegedly threw rocks at federal officers during immigration operations in California June 7,” he wrote.
“We got him. He was arrested today at the U.S.-Mexico border. More to come. Those who attack America’s police officers can run but they can’t hide.”
Video evidence gathered by the FBI — including raw footage from social media platforms and a broadcast clip from FOX11 — played a crucial role in identifying Reyna as one of the primary perpetrators of the assault.
In the video, chaos unfolded as protesters hurled rocks, glass bottles, and concrete blocks at federal vehicles stationed in Paramount. The situation escalated rapidly, forcing border patrol agents to respond with tear gas and retreat from the scene under a barrage of projectiles.
One of the officers present during the attack, now hailed for his bravery, was reportedly the same agent who apprehended Reyna at the border. U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California, Bill Essayli, praised the officer’s courage, noting, “Elpidio Reyna surrendered today at the U.S.-Mexico border to face a felony charge of assault on a federal officer for throwing rocks at passing law enforcement vehicles in Paramount on June 7.
He was taken into custody by a U.S. Border Patrol officer who was inside one of the vehicles damaged in the attack — a brave law enforcement officer who could have been killed in last month’s dangerous and reckless attack.”
The violence that erupted in Paramount in early June was part of a broader series of protests and riots that swept across parts of Los Angeles and Southern California in response to heightened federal immigration enforcement.
As federal agents increased operations against undocumented migrants, tensions in immigrant-heavy communities reached a boiling point. The result was several nights of unrest, including fires, vandalism, and direct confrontations between protestors and law enforcement.
In response to the growing chaos, the Trump administration launched a major federal intervention. Over 700 active-duty Marines were deployed to the region alongside 4,000 federalized National Guard troops to assist in restoring order.
The move sparked immediate backlash from California’s Democratic leadership, including Governor Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, who condemned the decision as unconstitutional and excessive.
Newsom went as far as to file a lawsuit against the Trump administration, arguing that deploying California’s National Guard without the governor’s consent violated the Posse Comitatus Act.
This 19th-century federal law places limits on the use of U.S. military personnel in domestic law enforcement roles. A federal judge initially sided with Newsom, ruling that the Trump administration had overstepped its legal bounds. However, the ruling was overturned on appeal, and federal control of the troops remained in place, effectively sidelining the state’s challenge.
The arrest of Reyna now places renewed focus on that violent week in June, which some see as emblematic of the growing divide between federal enforcement and state leadership in progressive regions of the country.
It also underscores the federal government’s resolve to track down and prosecute those responsible for violence against officers, regardless of jurisdiction or political opposition.
Bongino, a former Secret Service agent and conservative commentator turned federal law enforcement leader, used the arrest to reaffirm the agency’s dedication to protecting its personnel and holding perpetrators accountable.
“To anyone who thinks they can attack federal officers and hide behind a mask or helmet, Reyna’s arrest today proves we can find and charge anyone who violates federal law,” he wrote. “Don’t touch our officers.”
Officials say that Reyna was among a group of agitators who used the protests as cover to initiate targeted attacks on law enforcement. Though many who gathered on June 7 were peaceful protesters voicing opposition to the federal immigration crackdown, a smaller contingent, described by law enforcement as “organized anarchists,” escalated the event into a violent confrontation.
It was during this melee that Reyna allegedly threw concrete blocks at federal agents and damaged their vehicles.
This kind of attack, federal officials argue, goes beyond civil disobedience or political demonstration and constitutes a serious threat to the safety of law enforcement. Essayli reiterated this point, stating: “This wasn’t protest — it was an ambush. And our response will be proportional. We will not tolerate violence against the brave men and women of our federal agencies.”
Legal proceedings are now underway for Reyna, who is facing up to 20 years in federal prison if convicted of the charges against him. Prosecutors are said to be weighing additional counts related to damage of government property and obstruction of law enforcement operations.
Meanwhile, political fallout continues. Supporters of the federal response argue that the coordinated deployment of military personnel successfully curbed further escalation and saved lives. Critics, however, say it represented an authoritarian overreach that exacerbated tensions rather than calming them.
Governor Newsom’s office released a brief statement in response to Reyna’s arrest, praising law enforcement while also calling for de-escalation strategies that prevent future outbreaks of violence.
“California supports the rule of law and the safety of all public officers. But we must also address the root causes of these tensions — economic disparity, immigration policy failures, and lack of community trust in federal operations.”
With Reyna’s case now entering the judicial phase, the incident continues to serve as a flashpoint in the broader debate over immigration enforcement, federal authority, and the balance of power between Washington and individual states.
For many in the law enforcement community, his arrest signals that no act of violence against federal officers will go unanswered. For activists and critics of the administration’s immigration policies, it is a reminder of how quickly protest can be criminalized and dissent can be met with overwhelming force.
As tensions continue to simmer along the U.S.-Mexico border and beyond, the arrest of Elpidio Reyna may mark the end of one investigation — but the beginning of a much larger conversation about justice, authority, and accountability in an increasingly divided America.
