Downey, California, was rocked on June 11 by a series of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids targeting local businesses, resulting in multiple arrests. A community member who intervened in one incident, leading to the release of a man, told the FRANCE 24 Observers team that the community is shaken but united.
Videos circulating on social media show masked agents conducting arrests on June 11, in Downey, California, a city about 20 kilometres southeast of downtown Los Angeles. Downey is known as the Mexican Beverly Hills due to its predominantly Latino majority.
Among the locations where arrests took place were two car washes and a church.Local mediareported that ICE agents arrested at least 12 individuals from businesses that day.
Videos circulating online show community members confronting the agents, withone exclaiming, "Shame on you! ... You don't have to be doing it."
The legality of the arrests has also been challenged by some. "Do you have a warrant? We have rights. You cannot be on our private property without a warrant. What's your badge number?" a person demands inanother video posted on Facebook.
'It's just not right to stereotype anybody based on their looks'
In one instance, an intervention from community members led to the release of one man. The scene was filmed by Melyssa Rivas, a 31-year-old resident.
She told the FRANCE 24 Observers team that the man had been chased as he was leaving work at a car wash. He reportedly tried to escape on his bike before the agents caught him, causing him to fall.
Rivas condemned the agents' operational methods, stating that they are "stereotyping" those they apprehend.
Identity of agents questioned
Rivas, too, raised concerns regarding the identities of the eightagents.
Rivas is not alone in raising that point.
Are you aware that your materials, ICE agents' jackets, are available on Etsy for 20 bucks? Democratic Representative Julie JohnsonaskedSecretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem during a House Homeland Security Committee on May 14.
Anybody can do that, throw a mask on and run around, terrorising people of color without any regard for the law, because your agency does not have proper protocol to make sure their agents are clearly identified and masked when they are executing their jobs, Johnson pointed out.
Our agents do identify themselves, Noem answered. They verbally do that, and also by the clothing that theyre wearing. And if they do use something that is covering some of their facial features, its for their investigative work or their undercover work. ICE spokespeople have also said the masks serve to prevent "doxxing".
Our team contactedICEfor details regarding the Downey raids but received no response.
Protests
Following the arrests, Downey residents have united to stageprotestscondemning the raids.
Following an arrest at the Downey Memorial Christian Church car lot, the pastor held apress conferenceto condemn the incident. The pastor, Tanya Lopez, had intervened during the arrest.
I am a mother, a first-generation daughter of immigrants myself, so this is not just an immigrant issue they are taking. Who knows if this man was a citizen? They were not letting him answer any questions or provide any identification, the pastor said. We will meet that cruelty with love, with justice and compassion, because we are nonviolently resisting this oppression. We come out with the courage of our convictions. And we say that this is not the way.
Downey councilman Mario Trujillotold local mediathat these raids were creating chaos and fear. He was one of about 20 officials whojoined the Los Angeles mayorin calling for an end to the ICE raids on June 11.
While denouncing the methods of federal agents, Rivas also wanted to "make clear" that "not all law enforcement is supporting" these arrests.
In our city, we have our law enforcement, and they're letting us exercise our rights to protest because we have a right to peacefully use our voice. They're supportive of that. The only thing is that they're unable to interfere because they can't interfere with any federal agents, she said.
Pause on immigration raids?
PresidentDonald Trumpannounced on June 12 that he was suspending ICE raids on farms, restaurants, and hotels. This move was in apparent response to concerns about the economic impact on sectors heavily reliant on immigrant labor.
However, theWashington Post reportedthat immigration officials reversed that guidance just four days later.
Originally published on France24
