A community is outraged after a man who has been selling ice cream in Culver City for nearly 20 years was detained by federal immigration agents.
On June 23, Ambrocio Lozano, also known as Enrique, was set up in his usual spot on Culver Boulevard near Veterans Memorial Park around 1 p.m.
He was suddenly surrounded by a group of masked agents and taken into custody. His family said he was placed into an unmarked vehicle and driven to an unknown location.
They initially couldn’t contact him and no information was given about where he might be held. His ice cream cart was left behind on the sidewalk.
“We don’t even know if he’s going to be deported,” said Kimberly Noriega, his niece. “He doesn’t even know where they’re sending him to.”
Family members said Lozano is not currently a U.S. citizen. Originally from Mexico, he and his wife have lived in South Los Angeles for nearly 20 years. Before he was taken, Lozano was able to make a phone call to his wife to let her know what was happening.
“He was just crying,” Noriega told KTLA’s Sandra Mitchell. “He told her where his [ice cream] cart was and he told her that he loved her before the phone went dead.”
Lozano had been a beloved fixture in his community for nearly 20 years. Friends and neighbors said they were outraged after hearing of his detainment.
“We hear a lot about how they’re catching gang members and murderers, but really, who they’re taking is our ice cream men, our nannies and our gardeners,” said John Derevlany, a neighbor.
Residents said Lozano was a friendly face and always gave treats to children, even if they didn’t have money to pay.
“I just don’t understand it,” said Jennifer Arthur, a neighbor. “Go after the criminals. Don’t go after the ice cream man. I feel very heartbroken.”
Many residents said they were also stunned that Lozano was taken by masked agents who didn’t provide identification or an arrest warrant.
“That doesn’t sound legal to me,” said Lorri Wressell, another neighbor. “I would think you’d need paperwork. It just seems crazy. I don’t understand it.”
Although Lozano is not a U.S. citizen, Noriega said that a Mexican man pushing an ice cream cart seemed an easy target for immigration agents who didn’t know who he was.
Friends and neighbors are also concerned because Lozano is the main provider for his family.
“It’s so sad to see because they’re just out there trying to find work to do,” Noriega said of the the people being detained. “They’re trying to provide for their families and it’s not okay.”
On Wednesday night, Lozano was able to contact his family to let them know he was being held in a detention center in downtown L.A. Federal officials did not provide further details on his case.
A GoFundMe page to help Lozano’s family with legal fees can be found here.
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