Adrian Andrew Martinez, the 20-year-old U.S. citizen that was arrested by ICE while working at Walmart, sits down with our reporter, Aisha Wallace-Palomares, to give us insights into what he experienced. Amongst the new revelations, he shares that he was fired by Walmart.
This sweet kid stood up for an elderly worker being roughed up and taken away by ICE. I saw the video. He’s an American citizen and a caring good kid. Shame on Walmart for firing him the next day without all the facts. I’ll never set foot in another Walmart. How embarrassing and unAmerican!
Walmart fired the very tall lady employee who was followed into the bathroom and berated by a man because she didn't look feminine enough for him. She was a star employee and had been there for almost 10 years. Wally world shows it won't stand up for employees.
Obviously shame on ice. But also shame on Walmart for firing the victim.
Damn... I'm embarrassed to say that I drop an easy $400 on Walmart every month. Time to spread that wealth elsewhere.
if there's a Costco nearby that's a good alternative, it's worth the membership.
Increasingly clear that Walmart has an official policy to automatically fire any low level employee for getting any controversial media attention, no matter the reason. Fuck Walmart!
Excellent reporting. Thank you.
Fired by Walmart Walmart fires a U S citizen for being a U S citizen?
Without a doubt they used the excuse that he didn't show up for work. Of course he was locked up but........
Welcome to at will employment. Because employment law is for commies... Happy to have legal protection in the more civilised parts of the planet. I at least get some sort of warning I'm going to get shit canned in Europe.
They can fire an employee for any reason or no reason as long as it isn't an illegal reason.
As an employment lawyer (ret.), I had to explain this to horrified clients often. A company can fire you because you remind your manager of his ex-wife, or you have a cat and he hates cats, or you have bad taste in shoes, or he has hallucinations about you. Employment (or not) at THEIR will.
Yeah, it really is bullshit. As an former HR person I was also very discouraged to see states like Michigan ram through Right to Work legislation. The Republicans held the vote in the middle of the night.We have fallen so far in the US.
Right to work = Right to Starve Unions.
Exactly, it's bullshit. You decide to join or not but if not then you shouldn't get the benefits those who pay in. FKN Republicans, honestly.
“At will” doesn’t mean they can fire you illegally. If an employment lawyer takes up this case, he’d almost certainly win a wrongful termination case and win a massive cash settlement as part of it.
What would be illegal about this firing? I guess you could argue he was fired for his race, but idk
“At will” sort of means there’s no such a thing as an illegal firing as long as they remain vague about the reason. That’s why every workplace needs a union.
Cool. If you were fired tomorrow, illegally, could you support yourself and pay for a lawyer to fight your case for as long as it takes to make it through court? Could you do that on the wage the largest recipient of federal welfare, Walmart, pays?
I get your skepticism but many employment lawyers will take on cases on contingency if they think they can win. My friend was wrongfully terminated, definitely did not have lawyer money, and still got a sizable settlement that way.
Employment cases are notoriously hard to win and most lawyers who take those cases want a retainer up front. At least in Michigan they do.
Also depends heavily on which state it happens in, true.
yeah you cant fire someone illegally. you can just fire someone for "whatever" though. thats what they did, they didnt fire him for not being a citizen, or for being Hispanic, etc etc. they can just fire him without explanation.
Correct.
Don’t be so sure. “Wrongful termination” is a myth.
Where’s his gofundme??
Thank you for speaking up!! What happened to you & too many others is wrong! Wishing you a speedy recovery! And i hope those ice freaks end up in jail!
💔
🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬🍊💩
It’s obvious in how they engage, the way they hold weapons, their clothes: these are KKK, Boogaloo boys, J6ers, proud boys, etc. DHS cares so little for them they aren’t issued informs. So when they’re sued DHS will disavow them. But if someone hurts them they’ll be DHS again. WTF are AsG doing?!
If he wants his job back, (he can do better) he should send a letter to Christy Walton. She posted the No Kings advertisement.
Is ICE liable for defamation or or some such?
BIG mistake Walmart Huge
Sue Walmart.
This kid is a hero!!
Can he sue Walmart? He got hurt on their property, he was kidnapped from their property, and then they fired him.
I'm 99% sure he signed an arbitration agreement when he was hired.
Obviously he is a criminal gang member that der Führer Trump warned us about. SS/ICE ethnic cleansing.
Suuuuure seems like a boycott of Walmart is necessary. What the fucking fuck?!
We've already been doing that. He should sue, then go to work at Costco.
I like this young man and appreciate his being a stand-up type of guy. I have no respect for ICE, Walmart or republicans who allow the kind of behavior we see every day and benefit from facilities and detention centers that are not safe for detainees.
Another reason to stop shopping at Walmart. They should be supporting him, not firing him!
In addition to fuck ICE, fuck Walmart for firing him!
Came here to say this. Fuck Walmart. Not surprising.
I don't think anyone here is surprised at this, but fuck Walmart.
How can humanity drop so low? I keep hearing/reading that some of the kidnapped deportees haven’t committed any crimes. So what?! No one deserves any of this. We all know the criminals are wearing masks. Somebody wake me up.
Seems like maybe @governor.ca.gov mig HR want to take a break from podcasting and check into this?
FK WALMART @walmart.bsky.social
This how Trump's GOP fascist regime makes America great.
Boycott Walmart! Boycott Walmart !
Permanently.
Can you not sue them? They falsely detained you and hurt you in the process! There must be repercussions!!!
I pray he is represented well in court. His record needs to be wiped clean. WalMart needs to be avoided. I hope this young man is able to move forward with pride and grace forever and always.
Found it: gofund.me/7576d5d8
Does he have a gofundme? 🤞🏻
Fuck Walmart
Adding Walmart to boycott list. Not that I was likely to go there anyway
Wow. Walmart is trash.
They are kidnappers. This car was driving around an Ukrainian shop/market
1775... oh God.
More recent one. This is kidnapped in Ukraine filmmaker Oleg Sentsov
📌
Sue it's the only language they understand.
Why TF did #walmart fire him? Why
So he wouldn't have to work again after winning wrongful termination suit against them. Maybe Walmart is secretly rooting for Adrian
I see you’re an optimist! They should totally sue WM
Pfft. They are greedy racists
Unfortunately, as an at-will employee, he would only have a case if he could show they fired him for an illegal reason. "You missed work because ICE agents kidnapped you" is not an illegal reason to fire someone.
This is the kind of reporting that major news organizations should be doing but don't
💯
F you Walmart. Happy Costco opens here on July 10th
Come on Walmart, do better…
Read your skeet one more time 😭
Dude should sue Walmart
Does he have a go fund me
He did but it’s closed. Good news is it raised $44k.
kidney damage is going through the roof after these types of mishandling.
Walmart being evil?
Shame on Walmart. Disgusting. Boycott Walmart.
Why does anyone shop at Walmart? They don’t seem to care about customers or staff.
Why do we not see more of these interviews? Why?
LA Taco is great independent journalism .
Hero
People need to hold Walmart accountable too!
Sue, sue, sue, sue, sue. For MILLIONS of dollars. Money is the only language they understand. Sue the government. Sue Walmart.
I hate that this happened but on the upside sounds like he’s got a great lawsuit.
Walmart fired him?? WTF?! Someone give him a job.
Yes, he definitely deserves something better!!
I guess I'll keep boycotting them.
www.gofundme.com/f/justice-fo...
FIRED? WHY?
How has this experience changed your view on immigration laws? 🤔✨
This might not be something that can or will be answered but how he is able to do this interview, how he managed to get returned. I wasnt aware it was possible for people to be returned after ICE gets them, without a huge public push to help them specifically that I am aware most people don't get.
Well he’s a citizen and so far, it seems like that’s where they draw the line on whether or not to keep people in prison and deport them or not.
Don’t get mad get even
The look on his face when he talked about what the inside of the van was like is gonna stay with me for a while.
Yeah, he seems like a good, kind dude. How can ice sleep at night treating people so cruelly? 💔
Fuck Walmart. Seriously, Walton family and stockholders, this will get around and people will go elsewhere. You can't just ignore that your customers--the brown ones, no matter their immigration status--are being arrested. Get your heads out of your asses! /sorry, not sorry for *language*
One of the Walton kids paid for a full page no kings ad. Maybe some one can send this to her.
1kakvg-b4.myshopify.com/products/res...
Assuming he is still being charged, I can't see how a jury would ever convict him - however, in any trial, he has a right to confront the witnesses against him - that would mean the ICE assholes would be named and have to give unmasked testimony wouldn't they?
If a driver's license, English, and his love for the local baseball team isn't enough proof for the Gestapo, then they didn't want proof. They enjoy preying on the innocent. Where is Frank Castle when you need him.
Walking down the street, how do you prove the place of your birth.
I don’t think there’s a way to prove citizenship during an abduction. But we now carry a copy of our birth certificate and a pic of the original on our phones. If you’re picked up on the weekend, you’re spending at least 3 days at the torture facility. No medical treatment or access Rx meds.
Forget Walmart for a second. Yeah, they suck!!! Pay attention what they did to him... that is the real story.
I would note, however, that the fact that he was wearing a Walmart vest in itself should have been proof that he wasn't undocumented. Walmart has a big department which makes sure that nobody gets hired without being here legally. I wonder if he can appeal his firing.
Get it he needs work, but why would he.
First off thank you @lataco.bsky.social Your videos on instagram are very needed right now. Keep up the good work. I saw this story today. Heartbreaking. They broke his leg? Inside the detention facility? This kid did nothing wrong. And now you got him fired from his job also. #AbolishICE
Dude is a HERO
You guys must have some sort of union 🙏
Which Walmart?
I think it was Pacoima CA.
bsky.app/profile/bear...
Walmart has never been good for the common people. I have been boycotting them for at least fifteen years. They're trash. The Gestapo is trash and so are the people heading the regime.
WALMART FIRED HIM!!!!! He's a U.S. citizen who ICE violently abducted while he was working, let him go once they figured out he was telling the truth, and still, WALMART FIRED HIM!!! Reason number 999,999,999 to NOT SHOP AT WALMART!!! JFC!
I agree!
Haven’t stepped foot in a Walmart since 2003, and only because we were on vacation and in a desert miles from anything else.
Same for me. Walmart is the only life source in most rural communities. 🤬
As a grown adult human I have NEVER shopped at Walmart.
southernspaces.org/2013/low-wag...
Trump stood on the White House lawn with his stupid flagpoles and said that the purpose of his immigration policy was to "destroy" lives. He repeated himself just to be clear.
![“[D]o we have anybody in here that's a [gang member]?” [to foreman] “You've known all these people for a long time, any illegal immigrants? If they were, they'll find out.” [to workers] “They'll be checking you. You won't believe. Your whole life will be destroyed because of this press conference, watch.” [to press] “They'll destroy these people. I didn't want to tell them that before they start, but they'll end up being, oh, he's a so-and-so. This one is from, you know where...” [to workers] “No, I think you're going to be OK and I'll be right behind you.”](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:ell6dnf6l2wshcpzvm2yamct/bafkreihnorfsjiy2gtujnml6v7xt3i4imif6l232shktdx6gncuzyl5jam@jpeg)
Moron
Do you have a link to this?
youtu.be/emHijjNNrys?... Around 13:40
I listened to way more of that than I should have. Wow.
Just non-stop maniacal blather from a blithering idiot.
Seriously. My god.
Walmart fired him - people please boycott those assholes. I don't buy from Walmart or Amazon.
I have not shopped there in years!!!
Awesome. We can make a big impact just like we did with Elon. That poor old has been.
I hope he sues Walmart and the "agents" for good measure, and lives his best life on the payout.
AWalmartsAB
It's time for Adrian to get an employment lawyer. "It is not legal for your employer to fire you because you have been accused of committing a crime or have past convictions on your record unless it directly violates their legal responsibilities..."
Thank you for sharing your experience with us, Adrian. You’re a brave young man who deserves respect. Wishing you a quick recovery with many blessings ahead for you and your family. #NoICE #Resist
He’s a hero who cares about his fellow workers.
Walmart is part of the oligarchy and colluding with the gestapo
I was just about to give Walmart another chance as well...damn
This new info should be the basis for a boycott against Walmart by those who are still stupid enough to be shopping there.
Unfortunately in some places people don’t have a choice. I try to avoid Walmart like the plague but they have items my local grocery store doesn’t have.
Gonna be real here, do you need these items? Are they dietary specific items or medications? Because if not you can probably go without them.
As long as we’re being real here, there are a lot of communities where a Walmart has driven all local retailers from the market. So your options are doing without most everything or driving 2 hours round trip to buy groceries, clothing, etc.
Truth. They're subsidized to be everywhere.
Dodgers should give this kid a job…
So glad you’re home Adrian! Praying for the others.🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽
He's also facing federal charges which is crazy. I really hope they get dropped.
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Adrian deserves to work for an employer who is ethical and who will value the integrity of this young brave hero. I hope his leg heals soon- what a*holes to break his leg! If a gofundme for his healthcare is started, will you please post it?
Man, fuck WalMart
This is what they do. Anyone remember the Oscar winning ‘Taxi to the dark side’? And the famous quote: “The way a government treats refugees is very instructive because it shows you how they would treat the rest of us if they thought they could get away with it.” Now they can get away with it.
He got fired bc stephen miller is a hitler fan boy, nazi ratfucking, thin skinned, piece of shit, whose mommy didnt love him enough so he sent out the gestapo to harass every brown & black skin colored person in our Country. We gotta cut the bs & start stating the obvious w the nazis in charge!🤬
I am so sorry. What has happened to our country???
Hey @Wal-Mart, not only should you give him his job back, you need to help him with his workers comp claim and your carrier needs to sue the Feds.
poor guy fuck MAGA
😞😞😞
I hope a good attorney (the guy at the end of the video??) volunteers to sue WalMart on his behalf, for wrongful termination. (As well as a lawsuit against the govt.) And props to Adrian for standing up for what’s right, & going on camera at a time when there’s so much targeting & fear.
Walmart is an at-will employer. He probably doesn't have much of a case.
There are laws that protect people from being fired for being arrested or detained by law enforcement. “At-will” firings still have to stay within the law. I don’t know the specifics laws of CA & that guy’s city/county, or all the specifics of what went down, but I know CA law to favor workers.
📌
Walmart needs to rehire him immediately
Walmart had no justification for firing him especially because he was arrested under false pretenses. He should get a lawyer and sue them for wrongful termination. Honestly they don’t deserve him.
The "agents" said they arrested him for Assault against an officer So Walmart fired him for 'violence' based on what the "agents" said He can probably sue both Walmart & the "agents" But Walmart may have plausible deniablity because they acted based on information given to them by "federal agents"
If it was assault. It was provoked by ICE. I wouldn't trust what they say.
I’d definitely take the six month unemployment though.
In our state if you are fired "for cause" there can be up to an 8 week penalty - you have to wait 8 weeks to collect any benefits He can appeal that penalty But Walmart may still be protected because they took action based on information from 'federal agents'
This
They probably told ice to come and get him. When that failed they just fired him.
No surprise Walmart supports this Nazi takeover.
Is Walmart part of corporate America? Is Walmart owned by billionaires?
Yes
Unfortunately, I can’t shop at Walmart any less than I do now. Haven’t been there since before Covid.
I haven't been in a Walmart since the late 80s. 🙋
Perfect. It's been at least fifteen years for me.
Which walmart fired him? Let’s make the manager miserable until they take him back.
Why would he *want* to go back?
Low wage workers who have steady jobs often can’t afford to lose them. Not just the income, but also the life infrastructure around the job - transport, scheduling - can be difficult to replace. This guy may get hooked up with offers and crowdfunding but he should get his job back if he wants it.
he won't be needing to work after the lawsuit
so when will the police brutality charges be filed?
This you @walmart.bsky.social
📌
How is the Democratic party and their media operations communicating this absolute abuse of US citizens and denying them their rights afforded by the US Constitution. Imagine if this were happening the other way, the GOP, FOX, social media, podcasts would have this branded and publicized daily.
Shame on Wal-Mart.🤔💩
Walmart is magat world
These kidnappings need to be met with strong resistance. I like this: www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
It's about time they start giving back. I love the idea. bsky.app/profile/geor...
Every ICE agent is a violent nazi who should spend the rest of their life in prison for crimes against humanity.
He needs to sue them and Walmart
I HAVE just expressed my dismay to Walmart, for whatever good that might, OR might not, do.
Hope he’s able to sue tf out of walmart & never have to work again
Walmart either needs to re-hire him immediately, or face a hardcore lawsuit for wrongful termination. He was the victim of an assault, not a perpetrator.
He got hurt on their property, while on the clock. Wouldn’t that be workers comp? He was kidnapped from their property. That makes for an unsafe work environment. Then they fired him even though he had multiple crimes committed against him on Walmart property. Hopefully he can sue for all of it
All good points!
@bradmossesq.bsky.social can Walmart legally fire him?
Depending upon what state he is in, of course they can. They can fire you for any reason or for no reason. Ain’t capitalism great?
These federal goons should have at worse detailed him instead of roughing him up if they felt he was obstructing justice. But we know these racist ICE agents were hoping he was an asylum seeking or Dreamer. Now the fed has a lawsuit against them that will deliver mucho $$$ to Martinez.