STUN-GUNNED for Being a LEGAL CITIZEN?!
A Florida teen who filmed his violent detention by border and highway patrol agents is now facing charges, despite being a U.S. citizen, igniting fresh outrage over immigration enforcement tactics.
At a Glance
• 18-year-old Kenny Laynez-Ambrosio was detained and stun-gunned by Border Patrol and Florida Highway Patrol on May 2, 2025
• Video shows Laynez-Ambrosio repeatedly identifying himself as a U.S. citizen during the stop
• The teen was held for six hours and charged with misdemeanor obstruction, despite no immigration violations
• Civil rights groups call the case a “retaliatory arrest” for filming federal agents
• The incident took place during a traffic stop in North Palm Beach, Florida
A Citizen, a Camera, and a Confrontation
Kenny Laynez-Ambrosio, a natural-born U.S. citizen and high school senior from Florida, was riding with friends on May 2 when Florida Highway Patrol pulled over their vehicle. As Border Patrol agents joined the stop, Laynez-Ambrosio began filming what quickly escalated into a chaotic scene. According to video posted by the teen and confirmed by his legal counsel, agents physically pulled him from the car, placed him in a chokehold, and used a stun gun, despite his repeated assertions that he was a U.S. citizen.
The video footage, which has since been widely circulated, shows Laynez-Ambrosio providing his full name and date of birth, stating that he was born in the U.S. He was nevertheless placed in a patrol car and held for six hours without access to legal representation. By the end of the ordeal, he was charged with a misdemeanor: obstruction of justice. His attorney says the charge is punitive and designed to justify an unlawful detention.
Watch a report: ‘You’ve Got No Rights’: Florida Teen Films His Own Arrest
Legal Blowback and Public Uproar
Civil rights advocates and immigration watchdogs have condemned the incident as a blatant misuse of enforcement power. Groups including the ACLU and the Southern Poverty Law Center are calling for an investigation, arguing that Laynez-Ambrosio’s arrest reflects a troubling pattern where brown-skinned Americans are presumed guilty of immigration violations.
The incident occurred during heightened federal-state immigration cooperation in Florida under Governor Ron DeSantis’s controversial enforcement policies. Critics say the coordination has led to confusion, profiling, and constitutional overreach, particularly in communities of color. Florida law permits collaboration between state troopers and federal immigration agents under certain conditions, but legal experts say the stop may have violated the Fourth Amendment’s protections against unlawful detention.
Family members of Laynez-Ambrosio say he was traumatized by the encounter and is now hesitant to travel—even within his own state—out of fear of further encounters. His legal team has filed motions to dismiss the obstruction charge and is preparing a civil rights lawsuit.
Broader Implications
The arrest has reignited national debates over the limits of immigration enforcement and the rights of American citizens caught in the dragnet. Laynez-Ambrosio’s case mirrors others in which U.S.-born individuals were wrongfully detained or deported, often without legal counsel or proper documentation review.
The Department of Homeland Security has not yet commented on the arrest but faces increasing scrutiny from both lawmakers and civil liberties groups. Legal scholars warn that unless clear safeguards are enforced, similar incidents could proliferate under aggressive immigration enforcement regimes.
As the case unfolds, the video of Laynez-Ambrosio’s arrest continues to spread—a stark reminder of how fragile civil liberties can become at the intersection of fear, power, and mistaken identity.