Newly released court documents have revealed that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents used derogatory terms such as 'wet' and 'tonks' while conducting operations in Los Angeles last year to refer to Latin Americans.
'Yeah, just plug us in wherever you see some tonks, and we'll jump out,' one court document stated. One document was recorded during the previous 4th of July festivities, where an ICE agent was heard saying, 'tonks everywhere selling food.'
The excerpts were submitted in federal court as part of the Vasquez Perdomo vs. Noem lawsuit, where the plaintiffs allege that federal immigration agencies, including ICE and Customs and Border Protection (CBP), were conducting stops and arrests based on factors such as race rather than reasonable suspicion.
What Does 'Tonk' and 'Wet' Mean?
The term 'tonk', which appeared in several court documents, stems from violence. It's derogatory slang that's meant to mimic the sound of something hard, like an enforcer's flashlight, hitting a person's head, or more specifically, undocumented migrants.
In 2019, the CBP acknowledged the derogatory nature of the term, stating that 'the term tonk is not appropriate', and that they don't condone its use. However, the recent court filings were recorded in 2025 during numerous immigration operations.
The messages form part of a broader body of evidence that civil rights lawyers say demonstrates racial profiling during the Los Angeles raids in 2025. In one instance, an immigration agent reportedly described the appearance they associated with a suspicious person as an 'Older Hispanic male.'
Other messages discussed potential targets using terms such as 'wet', another derogatory expression historically directed at Latino immigrants. Body-camera footage presented in court also captured an agent saying: 'There was a guy, I'm pretty sure he's wet. He was just sitting in that minivan.'
The term 'wet' was derived from the word 'wetbacks', which references migrants who supposedly crossed the Rio Grande by swimming or otherwise getting wet to reach the United States.
The Department of Homeland Security Speaks on the Issue
The revelations come as plaintiffs seek to prevent what they describe as an ongoing pattern of discriminatory stops in the Central District of California.
The Department of Homeland Security has maintained that its immigration operations are targeted and that officers know whom they are seeking before making arrests.
In response to questions about the reported language, a DHS spokesperson said agents were focused on 'protecting the American people' rather than what it characterised as 'performative outrage.'
What Is the Vasquez Perdomo v. Noem Case?
The bodycam footage and recordings presented in court on 16 August are the latest revelation from the Vasquez Perdomo v. Noem federal lawsuit. It put a renewed spotlight on the conduct of federal immigration agents during last year's Los Angeles crackdown.
The alleged use of the aforementioned derogatory terms against Latin Americans provides a troubling window into how ICE and other federal immigration speaks and carries themselves behind the scenes.
As the lawsuit continues, the evidence could prove significant in determining whether the government's immigration enforcement operations crossed the line from lawful enforcement.
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