Southern California is witnessing intensified immigration enforcement operations by ICE, as agents increased their presence in several communities on Thursday.
In Orange County, the City of Irvine was informed by ICE that they would be conducting targeted enforcement activities at various locations across the city.
Among the locations mentioned was the Irvine Marriott, though it remains uncertain if any individuals were detained during the operations.
Aerial footage from AIR7 revealed a significant ICE and Homeland Security presence at a trucking facility in Compton, where agents were seen executing a raid.
Despite the heavy law enforcement presence, it is unclear if any arrests were made during this operation as well.
In Huntington Park, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem was seen accompanied by ICE agents in a neighborhood, adding to the mounting tension in the area.
Video footage circulating on social media depicted the federal officers’ activity, yet it remains ambiguous whether any detentions occurred.
Additionally, in East Los Angeles, FBI agents made an arrest of a man accused of assisting protesters by distributing face shields during a demonstration on Wednesday.
The individual has been charged with conspiracy to commit civil disorder and aiding and abetting civil disorder, intensifying concerns over law enforcement actions against protest-related activities.
Reacting to these developments, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, alongside numerous local leaders, gathered on Thursday afternoon to denounce Secretary Noem’s comments, which labeled the city a ‘war zone.’
During a previous press conference, California Senator Alex Padilla’s attempt to question Noem led to his forcible removal, bringing backlash from both sides of the political aisle.
Mayor Bass, surrounded by a diverse coalition of community and faith leaders, emphatically defended the essence of Los Angeles, declaring, ‘You want to know Los Angeles? This is Los Angeles. We are a city of labor, we are a city of businesses, we are a city of faith, we are a city of believers, and we are a city of dreamers.’
Bass described the recent actions of ICE in the city as provocative, recalling incidents where agents pursued individuals through public places such as Home Depots and even near medical facilities.
She criticized Department of Homeland Security officials for claiming Padilla failed to identify himself during the incident, highlighting that his identity was clear from video footage and questioning the credibility of their statement.
The mayor added, focusing on Noem’s negative portrayal of Los Angeles, ‘There’s no one up here that sees Los Angeles like that.’
She maintained that the vandalism seen during recent protests is confined to a limited area of a sprawling city that spans over 500 square miles.
Noem, on her part, asserted that Bass had not been responsive to outreach from the White House, a claim Mayor Bass refuted, stating her long history of service alongside Noem in Congress, yet expressing concern over her changed demeanor.
As another ICE raid unfolded in Compton early Thursday, AIR7 captured footage of the scene at Saint George Logistics, a trucking operation, shortly after 10 a.m.
Witnesses, including concerned family members, gathered at the scene, some voicing their fears about the safety of their loved ones who were reportedly on-site.
Fanny and Ricardo Fernandez arrived at the trucking company, anxious for their father’s well-being; he has worked for the business as a big rig driver for 33 years while living in the U.S. undocumented.
Fanny expressed her uncertainty about the future, remarking, ‘I don’t know what’s going to happen, what’s going to be… we know the plan A, plan B, but we don’t know what’s going to happen next.’
Her brother Ricardo shared his own struggles with anxiety, articulating, ‘This changes, like, the entire economic system that I have, with like, my family, right? And it’s just like, it’s a lot of panic in my mind.’
He raised concerns about being detained due to his skin color, questioning, ‘Am I just going to get picked off whenever?’
Eventually, the siblings were able to reach their father, confirming he was safe and had left the facility, alleviating some of their immediate worries.
In a statement outside the trucking establishment, Compton Mayor Emma Sharif acknowledged the palpable fear within the community, advocating for resources to protect residents.
She stated, ‘The fear is real, it really is. I understand their frustrations… in order for them to be safe, it’s the best thing for us to do, is really to provide them with the resources in order for them to make sure that they are safe.’
The situation continues to unfold, raising significant concerns about the impact of ICE operations on local communities and the ongoing dialogue around immigration policy in California.
image source from：https://abc7.com/live-updates/tensions-flare-downtown-la-anti-ice-protesters-clash-agents-live-updates/16692645/entry/16736271/
