Los Angeles, California — On a warm Tuesday afternoon in East Hollywood, Payo stood by his food stall, grilling delicious plates of chicken, carne asada, potatoes, and ribs.
Originally from Oaxaca, Mexico, Payo moved to the United States three years ago and now has a one-year-old daughter.
However, the sense of safety he once felt in his new home has drastically diminished.
For countless undocumented migrants across the nation, the current climate is filled with fear and uncertainty.
With the administration of US President Donald Trump intensifying immigration efforts, including deploying the National Guard and over 700 Marines to address protests, Payo describes the recent days as notably different.
“I feel tense. It’s a bit of a risk even being out here on the street,” he shares, wishing to remain anonymous for safety reasons.
Despite his growing anxiety, Payo feels compelled to continue working to support his daughter and family back in Mexico.
“I’ve never felt like this before during my time here,” he states.
The anxiety of daily life has become a constant shadow, as he reflects, “When you leave your house, you don’t know if you’ll return home.”
The Immigrant Experience Amid Raids
East Hollywood lies just a few miles from downtown Los Angeles, a week filled with protests and demonstrations, some erupting into violence.
Local officials accuse President Trump of inflaming tensions rather than promoting peace.
Residents near East Hollywood express that the streets have turned quieter, with fewer individuals venturing outside due to heightened fears of immigration raids and arrests.
“People aren’t going out as much. They’re not going to work because they’re afraid,” notes Jose Medina, a hospital cleaner originally from El Salvador who arrived in Los Angeles approximately 45 years ago.
He highlights the city’s historic ties to the Latino community, which is a significant reason he chose to come here.
Approximately 40 percent of households in Los Angeles speak Spanish, demonstrating the longstanding connection between the city and Latin America.
“It’s a beautiful city, a city of working people,” he adds, as immigrant workers often fill demanding roles like construction, landscaping, and cleaning services.
The wave of immigration raids targeting workplaces across Los Angeles over the past few days has contributed to the growing anxiety within immigrant communities.
Trump’s aggressive tactics in enforcement magnify these concerns.
“What you see in the news and in the statements is that they’re going after the most violent criminals, but we know that’s a lie… We’re seeing agents coming into a Home Depot and picking up everyone, not even investigating,” explains Jose Madera, director of the Pasadena Community Job Center, which supports day laborers.
He emphasizes the economic toll of missing even a single day of work, especially for day laborers who rely on each paycheck to pay rent or put food on the table.
“When you’re forced to stay home because of fear, it’s a decision every day laborer faces,” Madera states.
Moreover, there are alarming accounts of due process violations.
The parents of a 23-year-old man who was deported after an arrest reported that he signed what he thought was a consent for a COVID-19 test, but it may have been a document agreeing to his deportation.
Raids have even extended to so-called sensitive locations like courthouses, traditionally exempt from immigration enforcement.
School officials in Los Angeles recently announced that they will establish safety perimeters around schools to provide assurance to families attending graduation events.
Economic Challenges in the Community
Marlene Marin, who owns a hair salon in East Hollywood, has lived in Los Angeles for 35 years; she reflects on the nervous atmosphere in the community.
“People have a lot of anxiety. We don’t have many clients coming in,” she states.
The economic repercussions are evident as residents tend to avoid going out to shops and stores due to fear.
On Tuesday evening, Mayor Karen Bass introduced a curfew in downtown Los Angeles, aiming to curb vandalism and looting escalated by recent protests.
“There are some bad people burning police cars,” Marin comments, adding, “But I don’t think the people doing that are immigrants.”
Tensions escalate as President Trump’s inflammatory rhetoric promises to “liberate” the city from perceived threats, labeling immigrants as “animals” and “a foreign enemy.”
US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) recently circulated an image on social media portraying immigration agents flanked by heavily armed soldiers apprehending an individual.
Contrary to Trump’s assertions, studies consistently indicate that migrants are less likely to commit crimes than their US-born counterparts.
“People are here looking for something better, to support their families,” stresses Payo, who remains steadfast at his East Hollywood grill, surrounded by the hustle of the kitchen.
Historically, Los Angeles has nurtured a tradition of dissent and activism among immigrants, often standing against federal authorities imperiling their rights.
In the 1980s, the city became a cornerstone of the sanctuary movement for refugees fleeing violence from Central American countries.
Immigrant advocate Father Luis Olivares once offered sanctuary within La Placita church to those seeking safety, facing threats of government raids for his stance.
However, federal authorities ultimately refrained from following through on their threats.
Mario Garcia, a Chicano studies professor at UC Santa Barbara and biographer of Father Olivares, critiques the aggressive tactics of the Trump administration, noting historical differences.
“[Ronald] Reagan’s policies in the 1980s on immigration did not include the militarization of INS [the Immigration and Naturalization Service], nor did they deploy the National Guard and Marines to suppress protests supporting the undocumented,” he states.
Garcia cautions that Trump’s recent maneuvers may be laying the groundwork for an unprecedented declaration of martial law.
“Los Angeles has a long history of protesting against unconstitutional efforts to repress free speech and mass peaceful protests,” he observes.
With deep-rooted contributions to the city, Angelenos continue to recognize and support the work of immigrants, both documented and undocumented, in the face of mounting challenges.
image source from：https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/6/11/you-dont-know-if-youll-return-home-immigration-raids-shake-los-angeles
