Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
- Arturo Ruvalcaba filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against Immigrations and Customs Enforcement on Friday.
- Ruvalcaba, who is deaf, alleges the ICE officers injured him during a Sept. 29 encounter outside Salt Lake Community College's Taylorsville campus.
- The lawsuit claims agents violated his rights and failed to accommodate his deafness.
TAYLORSVILLE — A deaf Utah man has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit alleging he was injured during an encounter with Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents outside Salt Lake Community College's Taylorsville campus.
The complaint, filed on behalf of 38-year-old Arturo Ruvalcaba, describes what attorneys call a confusing and painful confrontation on Sept. 29, in which several individuals, later identified as ICE agents, approached him at the SLCC bus stop as he waited to go home from work.
According to the lawsuit, agents arrived in multiple white SUVs and wore green military-style uniforms and partially covered faces. Ruvalcaba, who is deaf and communicates primarily through sign language and visual cues, told attorneys he could not understand the verbal commands being shouted at him.
The filing states that as Ruvalcaba attempted to retrieve his wallet to show identification, one agent pushed down on his shoulders while another pulled forcefully on his arm, injuring his elbow. Court records say he was only released after agents searched him and found his green card.
His wife, Natalie Ruvalcaba, said she found him shaken and in pain when he got home. She told KSL NewsRadio his arm was visibly swollen from elbow to wrist and that a doctor later diagnosed him with a sprain, requiring physical therapy and work restrictions.
Beyond the physical injuries, Natalie Ruvalcaba said the encounter has left emotional consequences for the entire household, including their three adopted sons, all of whom have trauma histories.
"So our boys have all had traumatic pasts," she said. "I've spent pretty much their whole lives telling them, 'Don't be afraid of authority … they're just there to help you.' And now when this happens, it's like … I kind of can't tell you not to be afraid of them, because your dad's afraid of them."
The lawsuit alleges violations of Ruvalcaba's constitutional rights, disability rights, and protections under federal tort law. His attorneys argue that agents failed to provide required accommodations for his deafness and escalated the encounter despite clear indications that he could not hear commands.
Court documents also note that Ruvalcaba reported seeing several other individuals being detained at the same bus stop during the incident.
The family says they have not received any communication from ICE regarding the complaint. KSL NewsRadio has reached out to ICE's Salt Lake field office and the agency's national media team. ICE has not responded.
Ruvalcaba's legal team is requesting a jury trial and seeking damages for physical, emotional and financial harm.
They've started a *GoFundMe page to support Ruvalcaba while he recovers.
*KSL.com does not assure that the money deposited to the account will be applied for the benefit of the persons named as beneficiaries. If you are considering a deposit to the account, you should consult your own advisers and otherwise proceed at your own risk.
