Man Seen Detained by Citizens With Blowtorch Near LA Wildfires ID’d As Illegal Immigrant

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By Rusty Weiss

The man seen in wild online video being subject to a citizen's arrest after he was spotted with a blowtorch near the scene of the Los Angeles wildfires has been identified as an illegal alien from Mexico.

RedState's Sister Toldjah reported that the man had been seen roaming the area with a bright yellow blowtorch before being confronted by fed-up residents. 

“We really banded together as a group,” a witness and participant said at the time. “A few gentlemen surrounded him and got him on his knees. They got some zip ties, a rope and we were able to do a citizens’ arrest.”

The suspect was initially only identified in media reports as being "homeless." 

Concerns arose that authorities did not have enough to keep him in custody without enough probable cause to charge the man. He would eventually be arrested on a felony probation violation.

Fox News national correspondent Bill Melugin posted late Sunday night to X that the man in that viral video had been identified as Juan Manuel Sierra-Leyva.

Sierra-Leyva is reportedly an illegal immigrant hailing from Mexico. Melugin has been told that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) intends to place a detainer on him with the L.A. County Sheriff's Department.

"They do not expect it to be honored due to California's Sanctuary State law," he writes.

Sierra-Leyva is expected to be in court on Monday, though it's important to note he has not been charged with arson as of yet. The Telegraph had revealed he was arrested just five miles from where the Kenneth fire is believed to have started.

Sean Dinse, from the Los Angeles Police Department’s Topanga Division, told reporters that "we believe" the Kenneth fire was started "deliberately" but cautioned the investigation remains ongoing.

California's Sanctuary State Law, officially known as the California Values Act (SB 54), was signed into law in 2017. It limits the cooperation between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities, restricting when and how local agencies can assist with immigration enforcement.

SB 54 was passed in the California Senate on a strictly party-line vote, with all 27 Democrats voting in favor.

Meanwhile, Politico reports that Democratic legislative leaders in the State Assembly and State Senate just struck a $50 million deal to "Trump-proof" California. A significant portion of that taxpayer money — $25 million — will provide grants for immigration legal services/support groups.

While California burns, Democrats are focused on President-elect Donald Trump and making sure people like Sierra-Leyva — blowtorch in hand — have top-notch legal representation should he face deportation.

RedState will keep readers updated on the Juan Manuel Sierra-Leyva as updates come in.

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