The City of Montebello launches $100,000 relief program for residents affected by immigration raids

Earlier this week, the City of Montebello approved $100,000 in emergency funding to support families affected by the recent immigration raids.

Montebello has been one of the many cities targeted by the ongoing immigration crackdowns across Southern California. On June 19, a local car wash on the corner of East Beverly Boulevard and Poplar Avenue was raided by immigration officials. Cameras from the business captured the moment when three vehicles arrived and detained three of the car wash employees. “We’ll be back,” said one of the agents, according to Salvador Melendez, mayor of Montebello.

Melendez expressed that the news about the raid really hit him hard. His parents had once been undocumented, and his dad’s very first job in the U.S. was at a car wash, just like the one where the raid took place.

He also shared that upon arriving at the car wash after the raid had occurred, he could see the fear in the employees. Melendez told CALÓ News that when he spoke to the manager, he could hardly get the words out, his voice was shaking the entire time. “It was hard to witness. These folks are coming into our communities and just terrorizing our people,” he said. “People are not going to work because of the fear of being taken by ICE.”

The $100,000 relief fund is Montebello’s first pilot program aimed at supporting and providing for the community. “The City of Montebello stands with our immigrant neighbors during these unprecedented times,” said Oliver Jimenez, a Parks and Recreation commissioner for the city.

The city council unanimously approved the funding on Wednesday, June 25, establishing the Montebello Humanitarian Services Program. “This is not a political issue, it is a humanitarian one, and as we continue to navigate through these difficult times, we will continue doing our part as city leaders to support and stand with our community,” Jimenez said.

“We've seen in the last several weeks the impact that [the raids have] had on many families. The ICE raids have left children without parents and homes without income, just families in fear overall. We thought that it was important for us to provide some support for some of these families,” said Melendez.

Montebello is home to a predominantly Latino population; more than 85% of residents identify as Hispanic or Latino, according to the city’s demographic data. The initiative will help with essentials like groceries, rent, utilities, day-to-day expenses and even mental health support. Since the immigration raids began, Melendez said that many in the Latino community have experienced a significant toll on their mental health. “We're trying to do everything that we can to support a lot of the impacted families.”

Anyone can apply for the relief program regardless of immigration status. Applicants must be Montebello residents and are required to contact Montebello City Hall, where they will be connected with case workers who will guide them through the application process.

To protect the safety and privacy of community members, the City Council determined that this approach would be most effective, as it minimizes the risk of personal data being shared or leaked.

 “It’s our commitment to provide a lifeline and a safety net for all those folks that have been impacted,” Melendez said.