Woman Arrested in El Monte After Allegedly Following Federal Agents

Community members protest the incident as police say they were required by law to remove themselves from the immigration enforcement operation.

Published on Feb. 11, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A woman in El Monte, California was arrested after she was accused of following and obstructing federal agents. The woman, Maria Santay, claimed she was the one being followed by unmarked vehicles and livestreamed part of the encounter with agents who surrounded her car. The Department of Homeland Security said Santay was issued warnings but refused to comply, leading agents to extract her from the vehicle. The El Monte Police Department said its officers were there to de-escalate the situation but removed themselves once they confirmed it was an immigration enforcement action, as required by California's sanctuary state law.

Why it matters

This incident highlights the tensions between federal immigration enforcement and local law enforcement, especially in sanctuary states like California where there are legal restrictions on how much local police can assist with immigration operations. It also raises questions about the rights of individuals who believe they are being improperly followed or targeted by authorities.

The details

According to police, federal agents requested assistance from El Monte officers after the woman, Maria Santay, was accused of following and obstructing them. Santay claimed she noticed several cars following her after leaving a fast food restaurant and began livestreaming the encounter. Footage shows federal agents surrounding Santay's car, with at least one agent attempting to break the passenger window before she was arrested. The Department of Homeland Security said Santay was issued multiple warnings but refused to comply, leading to her extraction from the vehicle. El Monte police said they were required by California law to remove themselves from the immigration enforcement operation once a supervisor confirmed it was taking place.

  • On January 30, 2026, the incident occurred in El Monte, California.
  • On February 12, 2026, the story was published by NBC Los Angeles.

The players

Maria Santay

A woman in El Monte, California who was arrested after being accused of following and obstructing federal agents.

El Monte Police Department

The local law enforcement agency that responded to the incident but said it was required by California law to remove itself from the immigration enforcement operation.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection

The federal agency that requested assistance from local police and accused Santay of stalking enforcement, disobeying traffic signals, and attempting to block agents' vehicles.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“We're not here to take you to jail. It's just us. Roll down your window, so I can talk to you.”

— El Monte Police Officer

“They got a whole caravan on me, guys.”

— Maria Santay (Santay's livestream)

“They're going to break my window, guys. They are insane. They're going to let this happen.”

— Maria Santay (Santay's livestream)

What’s next

The El Monte Police Department said it is conducting an internal review of the incident and hosting community listening sessions as protesters demand the city institute a sanctuary city policy.

The takeaway

This case highlights the ongoing tensions between federal immigration enforcement and local law enforcement in sanctuary states, where there are legal restrictions on how much police can assist with immigration operations. It also raises questions about the rights of individuals who believe they are being improperly targeted or followed by authorities.