Tension has been growing for months over the Trump administration’s aggressive efforts to deport people who remain in the United States illegally.
But the situation escalated in Los Angeles about a week ago. After protesters converged on immigration raids and demonstrated against U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement officials, President Trump deployed 2,000 California National Guard troops to the city.
While the focus has turned to ensuing protests in downtown Los Angeles and the heavy military response — the call-up has since increased to 4,000 National Guard members and 700 Marines — ICE agents have continued immigration raids each day in Southern California.
It is difficult to have a comprehensive picture of the ICE efforts because the agency does not issue a list of people who have been detained each day nor the locations where they were taken from, and authorities did not confirm the number of raids they conducted in California this week.
But residents, immigrant rights groups and elected leaders have cobbled together accounts of ICE workplace raids that they describe as indiscriminate attempts to find anyone who might be undocumented.
Here is a sampling of the raids that have taken place in and around Los Angeles in the past week, according to activists and local residents:
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Home Depot in Los Angeles: Immigration authorities detained several people in the parking lot of a Home Depot, where day laborers regularly gather to find work, just west of downtown on June 6.
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Ambiance Apparel in Los Angeles: That same day, immigration authorities raided a clothing wholesaler. Dozens of federal agents wearing helmets and green camouflage arrived in two hulking armored trucks and other unmarked vehicles, and were soon approached by a crowd of immigrant-rights activists and supporters.
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Carwashes in Los Angeles: At least 25 workers and one customer at five carwashes in the city have been arrested in immigration sweeps since Sunday, according to a labor group. In one video, immigration agents could be seen chasing an employee who ran through a busy parking lot.
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Downey, Calif.: A man was detained without explanation in the parking lot of Downey Memorial Christian Church on Wednesday and was taken away in a black S.U.V., said the Rev. Tanya Lopez, the church’s senior pastor. She ran out of her office when she saw three S.U.V.s pull up and men get out to corner a Latino man. Mario Trujillo, a Downey City Council member, said that at least four people were also detained at a fitness center and two at a Home Depot in his suburb of Los Angeles.
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Oxnard and Santa Maria, Calif.: Scores of farm workers were detained Tuesday at farms in California’s Central Coast, northwest of Los Angeles, according to activists. As word of the enforcement raids spread, Hazel Davalos, a community activist, heard accounts of migrant farm workers who hid in the fields between rows of crops. “They’re just indiscriminately attacking immigrant communities like Oxnard to meet their politically driven quota,” she said.
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Ventura County, Calif.: At least 20 more people were apprehended by the authorities Friday morning in the Central Coast county, according to activists there. “We have been advising people to stay inside and not to leave unless absolutely necessary,” said Adriana Mandujano Angel, a spokeswoman for Mixteco Indigena Community Organizing Project.
Reporting was contributed by Jesus Jiménez, Emily Baumgaertner and Orlando Mayorquín.
Nicholas Bogel-Burroughs reports on national stories across the United States with a focus on criminal justice. He is from upstate New York.
The post Here Are Some of the Southern California Immigration Raids From the Past Week appeared first on New York Times.
