ICE must be abolished, stop terrorizing communities like Long Beach, says Rep. Robert Garcia

Controversial images on social media show a U.S. citizen being detained on Saturday afternoon by immigration officers in Long Beach while he screamed that they broke his arm. The violent incident led to Congressman Robert Garcia’s making a clear statement on Monday morning: ICE must be abolished.

Garcia, a ranking member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, joined pro-immigration leaders at a press conference to demand accountability from the federal government and local authorities. 

He said it is unacceptable that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) allows its agents to arrive in communities where people of color live to terrorize and detain them, regardless of their immigration status. 

“In some cases they are killing people on the streets of American cities; they are kidnapping people who are here trying to do their jobs,” Garcia said.

The incident from Saturday indicated the man, identified as Ricardo Gonzalez, was riding his bike. Images show him being stopped by a black vehicle and then on the ground with handcuffs despite people stating he is a U.S. citizen. Another woman was also detained and put inside a black car while her husband kept telling the immigration officers she is a US citizen.  

Congressman Garcia highlighted that the pipeline of deportation and detention is benefiting a small group: billionaires and private companies that make a profit off every person that is picked up off the streets. 

He said that in the last week alone, local organizations said that calls from people struggling and fearing deportation have tripled.

Local leaders said that immigration officers are no longer detaining undocumented people but just people who fit the Latino profile in general.

Jessica Quintana, director of Centro Cha in Long Beach, said it is important to ask why four vehicles with armed masked men were in a small neighborhood.

“They had no warrants; who were they looking for, who they were seeking, they had no warrants to present, there’s nothing filed against the people there. They were not knocking doors,” she said. “So that’s the biggest question: why are they coming and invading our Latino communities? Why?”

Angelica Salas, director of CHIRLA, said all people are bound by the Constitution, and there are rules under which policing is supposed to be acting. 

“These immigration officers are violating every single protocol and policy that we all know,” she said. 

Questioning local enforcement presence

Despite having in place the California Values Act, SB54, a law that prohibits local law enforcement from acting or aiding immigration officers, videos showed the presence of Long Beach police officers at the scene.

In a statement, LBPD said ICE called them reporting vehicle vandalism in the corner of Locust Ave. and Ellis Street in North Long Beach. Once they arrived, they saw a handcuffed man “being detained by ICE, who was bleeding.” 

Because the one-way street was blocked by angry residents and ICE vehicles, the fire department couldn’t access the injured; therefore, LBPD officers transported the handcuffed injured man to a nearby fire station. 

“There, LBPD personnel removed the handcuffs and LBFD personnel transported the man to the hospital for medical attention,” the statement said, adding that LBPD officers “continued attempting to de-escalate the situation and keep the peace by directing everyone to clear the area.”

However, activists like Maribel Cruz, associate director of the non-profit ÓRALE in Long Beach, said people are concerned that there is collaboration between LBPD and immigration officers. On Saturday’s incident, rapid responders on the ground witnessed what seemed a collaboration between LBPD and ICE.

“What that looks like and why that happened, that’s the question we have,” she said. 

For this reason, they are continuing to protest for local measures and continue calling on the city council to amend the Long Beach Values Act by including changes to strengthen the city's sanctuary and immigrant protections. 

This includes the removal of surveillance on the streets and the right to sue the city if police officers collaborate with immigration officers. 

Cruz said there are past public statements and social media posts from agencies and elected officials.

“We need action, and strengthening the Long Beach Values Act is one tangible action that the city can demonstrate to us as residents that they care about immigrant communities,” she said. 

The next hearing on the Long Beach Values Act in City Council will be November 10. 

Gonzalez' family said they were overwhelmed by the support but also that they were not ready to provide public comments to the media.