Several dozen people gathered outside a Home Depot in Monrovia, California, on Thursday evening to protest federal immigration raids — including one that apparently led to the death of a day laborer hours earlier.
Witnesses say the man fled across the store’s parking lot and onto the eastbound 210 Freeway, where he was struck by an SUV and killed.
“I was heartbroken,” said Selene Lockerbie, who attended Thursday’s protest. “I feel like Monrovia was violated … to know that a man lost his life today just trying to work, just trying to take care of himself and his family.”
Karen Suarez, another demonstrator, said she consoled the victim’s daughter at the scene.
“I just went up to her and said, ‘I’m really sorry about your dad.’ She was so shaken up,” Suarez told KTLA’s Sandra Mitchell.
Immigrant advocates say 13 people were detained by federal agents during Thursday’s raid. Several were also injured, according to Pablo Alvarado from the National Day Laborer Union.
“They’re afraid of going to the clinics and hospitals, so we’re going to make sure there’s a doctor who comes to see them,” said Alvarado. “The first thing is humanity of people.”
The Department of Homeland Security insists the victim was not chased onto the freeway by its officers.
“This individual was not being pursued by any DHS law enforcement,” a spokesperson told KTLA 5 News on Friday. “We do not know their legal status. We were not aware of this incident or notified by California Highway Patrol until hours after operations in the area had concluded.”
The Trump administration’s crackdown on illegal immigration in Southern California shows no sign of slowing, despite frequent protests and outrage expressed by local, state and federal lawmakers, largely Democrats.
Also on Thursday, approximately 100 federal agents conducted a sweep in L.A.’s Little Tokyo neighborhood where California Gov. Gavin Newsom held a news conference to promote his plan to redraw the state’s congressional districts in response to Texas Republicans’ plan to do the same.
Nidia Becerra contributed to this report.
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