ICE raids near elementary school graduation in Huntington Park

On Monday afternoon, the city of Huntington Park confirmed that ICE conducted a raid operation at the Home Depot at 3040 Slauson Avenue. The city wasn’t able to confirm how many people were taken, but social media posts indicate between five and seven day labor workers were detained. 

On the fifth day of ICE immigration raids presence in Southern California, reports indicate that some of the people detained on Friday have been deported without due process. In the meantime, the fear increases as ICE continues sweeping the streets of Los Angeles and Orange counties. 

Huntington Park Mayor Arturo Flores said the Trump administration’s stated immigration policy was centered around public safety. However, immigration officers' actions are counterintuitive to the president’s narrative.

“What we're seeing is an arbitrary enforcement of anybody that essentially looks or might be Latino in areas where they might be trying to find work or employment,” said Flores.

He indicated the fear expanded for blocks. In the morning there was an elementary graduation taking place inside the auditorium of Huntington Park High School. However, it erupted in chaos when families learned immigration was nearby. 

“Families that were supposed to be celebrating one of their child's achievements, a milestone, was turned into a horror and terrifying experience with the fear that they might not be able to spend the next day or continue to be a part of their family,” he said.

A similar situation was experienced at Lynwood, said Mayor Rita Soto. She attended a high school graduation earlier in her city and said she was able to see the fear in the families, despite the celebratory moment. 

“It's so emotional and difficult to see all of this and we were telling them, yes, everything is going to be okay,” she said. 

That same morning there were also reports that ICE stopped by Plaza Mexico and well-traveled area  streets. She assumed they were preparing for their next move.

Resources available

Cudahy Mayor Elizabeth Alcantar stated that  people should know their rights. She highlighted the importance of not opening the door, unless there is a judicial warrant signed by a judge. 

“We also ask that you do not sign anything until you speak to your lawyer and they are present with you,” she said. “And if anyone spots any ICE sightings that they are in our communities, we want them to take notice, to take photos, to take details down.”

She encouraged people to immediately call the Los Angeles Rapid Response Network at 888-624-4752.

Huntington Park Vice-Mayor Eddie Martinez said there are resources available for families specifically in the Southeast area. He spoke particularly about the nonprofit Alliance for Better Communities. 

“If you visit their website, they have what is called the SELA Cares Resource Center, [which] has a list of all the different nonprofits that are providing vital resources to our families here in the southeast,” he said.

Immigrants deported

The Washington Post reported some immigrants detained on Friday at the Ambiance Apparel have already been deported. This includes a 23-year old Mexican man who is a member of the Indigenous Zapotec community. 

According to his parents, the man called them saying he had been dropped off at the US-Mexico border and was told to cross over. The man told his parents he thought he was signing a consent for a Covid-19 test, but it may have been his self-deportation. The man had no criminal record and had been living in the US for the past four years. 

“The way they deported him wasn’t right,” Javier, the father of the man whose name wasn’t released, told the Post. “He is a calm, working man. We are asking for justice because they violated his rights.” 

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass stated at a different press conference on Monday evening that there was nothing going on in the city that needed ICE presence. 

“If you remember at the beginning of this administration, we were told that raids would be to look for violent criminals, people who had warrants,” she said. “But I don't know how you go from a drug dealer to a Home Depot to people's workplaces where they just trying to make a living.''

She called on the Trump administration to stop the raids.

“This is creating fear and chaos in our city and it is unnecessary,” she said.