An 80-year-old criminal defense attorney was pepper-sprayed and knocked to the ground by federal immigration agents after confronting them during an arrest operation in Santa Barbara, California.

Confrontation Outside Probation Office

Doug Hayes, a well-known Santa Barbara criminal defense attorney, intervened when Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents arrested 27-year-old Jack Randmaa outside the Santa Barbara County Probation Department on Carrillo Street. Eight minutes of video footage captured the entire incident, showing protesters surrounding the agents’ white Dodge Charger while honking horns and blowing whistles to alert the neighborhood to ICE’s presence.

The situation escalated when activists approached the federal agents’ vehicle. One protester leaned into the passenger window while another crouched near the rear tire. An agent quickly exited the car and tackled the second activist, wrestling him to the pavement as onlookers screamed. Multiple agents pinned Randmaa to the ground while threatening the growing crowd with pepper spray.

Attorney’s Defiant Stand

Hayes stepped forward to confront the masked agents, calling them cowards and demanding they show their faces. The veteran attorney shouted at the officers, asking them to be citizens and human beings, questioning what their children would think of their actions. When Hayes bent down to retrieve Randmaa’s backpack from the street, one agent pepper-sprayed him directly and shoved him to the ground.

Bystanders immediately rushed to help the stunned octogenarian, pouring water into his eyes to flush out the pepper spray. A colleague later confirmed Hayes was recovering well from the incident. Backup agents arrived approximately five minutes after the initial confrontation began.

Law Enforcement Response

Local Santa Barbara police confirmed they received no advance notification about the ICE operation and were not present during the arrest. This lack of coordination between federal and local authorities highlights ongoing tensions over immigration enforcement policies. ICE has not yet responded to requests for comment about the incident or their agents’ use of force against the elderly attorney and activist.