Fernando Vazquez, an 18-year-old U.S. citizen born in Raleigh, North Carolina, and a commercial landscaper, was detained by masked Border Patrol agents at a construction site in Cary during a large-scale immigration enforcement sweep that detained over 250 people in the Charlotte area. Agents pinned him against a gate and questioned him about his birthplace despite his showing a North Carolina Real ID, then handcuffed him and separated him from his brother. He says agents drove him around for about two miles before releasing him in an isolated wooded area, throwing his wallet, IDs, and AirPods on the ground rather than returning them. Vazquez recorded video of the encounter that was viewed millions of times online, and said the experience left him 'feeling powerless, frightened, humiliated, and deeply shaken.' In July 2026, he filed a federal damages claim with ACLU of North Carolina representation alleging wrist injuries and emotional trauma, part of more than 500 cases ProPublica documented of U.S. citizens detained by immigration agents during the Trump administration.