Huntington Park approves resolution to identify federal agents after an impersonator was arrested

On Tuesday night, Huntington Park police arrested a man who was impersonating a Border Patrol agent, immediately raising concern as many people have pointed out that some people posing as immigration agents are in fact bounty hunters and impersonators of federal agencies.

A day later, the City of Huntington Park unanimously approved a resolution to verify federal agents' identity when they are operating in the community.

During a press conference on Friday afternoon, Huntington Park Chief Cosme Lozano said the arrest happened around 10:20 p.m. on Tuesday when they stopped a vehicle without visible handicap plates or front plates.

Officers found two LED light cars hidden under the vehicle's sun visors, a loaded nine millimeter semi-automatic firearm, two holsters and additional ammunition, three cell phones, official-looking documents bearing the heading of immigration agencies, radio codes and multiple copies of passports not registered under the individual's name.

The vehicle was not registered to a law enforcement agency but to an individual in Los Angeles. 

“The individual claimed he previously worked for Customs and Border Protection (CBP),” said Lozano during the press conference. “However, he could produce no valid credentials to validate that. We would later learn that the individual also has a prior arrest record related to human smuggling.”

He was arrested for an outstanding warrant and found to possess the loaded firearm, ammunition, multiple cell phones, fake Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and CBP documents and unregistered passports. 

Fake federal officers

Huntington Park Mayor Arturo Flores said the incident that happened in the 700 block of South Alameda Street is troubling, primarily because it comes at a moment where people live in fear due to the massive immigration raids and detentions.

He said that case exemplifies the broader issues when federal enforcement agencies operate without accountability and common sense. 

“When people cannot trust who is enforcing the law, public safety is undermined and fear begins to take hold,” said Flores. “These are not isolated fears across the region. Residents are reporting encounters with individuals claiming to be federal agents, driving tinted and unmarked vehicles, wearing plain clothes and refusing to show identification. 

Flores said this kind of ambiguity is not only unacceptable, but dangerous. 

“When ICE and other federal agencies choose to operate in secret with no transparency, they don't just enforce the law, they incite fear,” he said.

The mayor added that these unauthorized impersonators create confusion by intimidating and extorting the community. 

Flores said they are trying to prevent these types of dangers from happening through a  resolution directing the police department to verify the identity of anyone claiming to be a federal immigration agent in Huntington Park.

“Let me be clear, Huntington Park is not attempting to obstruct legal federal operations. What we are saying is simple: if you are acting with federal authority, then show it,” said Flores. “Identify yourselves. Do not hide behind unmarked vehicles, face masks and fake credentials.”

The mayor said local law enforcement has spent decades attempting to build trust with the community and these actions by federal agencies erode that trust. 

“It is a slap to the face of thousands of brave men and women who have sacrificed so much to earn that trust. There is a better way to conduct enforcement, one that does not terrorize neighborhoods or blur the lines between lawful action and dangerous intimidation or dangerous imitation,” said Flores. 

Flores invited DHS Secretary Kristi Noem to publicly discuss the issues.

More resolutions like this one to come

Organizations such as Union del Barrio commended the City of Huntington Park for approving the resolution and reinforced their statement that “not all the kidnappers are official agents” but all of them are enemies of the communities they target. 

“We will continue to organize against the terrorism that is being used against our communities,” stated the organization via Instagram. 

On Monday, the City of Pasadena approved an official statement denouncing federal immigration raids in the city.

Meanwhile, the City of Downey will hold a special meeting to look for options on how to help their immigrant community. This agreement came after City Manager Roger Bradley and Councilwoman Claudia Frometa proclaimed during Tuesday’s council meeting that there was nothing they could do in regards to the immigration raids, but residents provided a list of possibilities that the city government could assist with.