LOS ANGELES — A federal immigration building in downtown Los Angeles has become a place of anxiety and despair for many families looking to locate their detained loved ones.
Guarded by U.S. Marines, families, friends, and relatives descend into an underground garage leading to a buzzer at the end of a dark and dirty stairwell.
This is the first stop for immigrants arrested by federal immigration agents in Southern California, where they are processed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) before being transferred to detention facilities.
Upstairs, long lines form as immigrants seek services such as applying for green cards or asylum.
On a recent day, dozens arrived with medication, clothing, and optimism, hoping for a reunion, even if brief.
However, many were turned away after waiting hours, receiving no information about their loved ones, not even a confirmation of their presence.
Reports circulated concerning inhumane conditions inside the center, including detainees drinking from toilets due to extreme thirst.
Despite multiple requests for comments, ICE did not respond.
Two weeks prior, intense protests erupted around the federal complex in response to aggressive immigration raids that have been ongoing since June 6.
In fact, graffiti condemning President Donald Trump still adorns the walls surrounding the complex, illustrating the community’s frustration.
Families arriving for news about their loved ones represent a wide array of nationalities, including those from Mexico, Guatemala, India, Iran, China, and Laos. Approximately one-third of LA County’s 10 million residents are foreign-born.
Many families learned of the raids through videos circulating on social media, showcasing moments when masked officers apprehended individuals in public spaces like parking lots, Home Depots, and local taco stands.
As the hour approaches for attorney visits, several lawyers buzz the basement door marked “B-18,” while families stand anxiously outside, hoping for updates.
Christina Jimenez, alongside her cousin, arrives searching for her stepfather, 61-year-old Mario Alberto Del Cid Solares.
Their family had anticipated the potential for his arrest given his job as a day laborer at a Home Depot in Hawthorne.
As the raids intensified, the family had started sharing locations, advising him to remain silent and compliant if he were detained.
Despite their efforts to keep him safe, Jimenez described her stepfather’s stubbornness and persistence in wanting to work.
After they learned of his arrest, Jimenez attempted to search for him on the ICE Detainee Locator but encountered failure.
Two days later, her phone displayed his location in downtown LA.
“My mom’s in shock,” she expressed, recounting the emotional rollercoaster her family had endured.
Finally, when she hears his name on the intercom, relief washes over her—he is indeed there, but their worry is far from over.
Of particular concern is the possibility that instead of being deported to Guatemala, he might be sent to an entirely different country—a concern brought up by a recent Supreme Court ruling.
Meanwhile, Estrella Rosas and her mother search for her sister, Andrea Velez, a U.S. citizen, who was detained after dropping her off at her job.
They witnessed Velez being arrested and, in a panic, Rosas attempted to call 911, fearing she was witnessing a kidnapping.
Once they circled back, they found her in handcuffs being placed into a car without license plates.
The family suspects she was targeted because of her appearance and association with a local tamale stand.
Despite having her sister’s passport and U.S. birth certificate, they learn Andrea is not in the processing center but next door in a federal detention facility.
Charges against her include allegedly obstructing immigration officers, accusations the family vehemently denies; she was released the following day.
While families gather outside the center, some resort to sitting on cardboard after hours of waiting.
One family comforts a woman who quietly cries in the stairwell.
At last, the door opens, and a group of lawyers emerges, prompting families to rush forward, hoping for assistance.
Kim Carver, a lawyer representing the Trans Latino Coalition, shares her ordeal as her client, a transgender woman from Honduras, had been transferred overnight to a facility in Texas.
Just days before, during an immigration interview, asylum officers indicated that her claim was credible.
Unfortunately, ICE officers arrived and detained her, leading to what Carver describes as a frantic search to locate her.
As more individuals gather, knowledge is shared among families, particularly about the crucial “A-number”—the registration number essential for attorneys to represent detainees.
Families discuss tips for adding funds to accounts for phone calls, sharing how minimal amounts often only allow for a few conversations.
Meanwhile, Mayra Segura arrives searching for her uncle, whose frozen popsicle cart was found abandoned on the street in Culver City.
Despite her attempts, he could not be located in the system.
Another lawyer, frustrated, exits carrying bags of clothing and snacks, which she was unable to distribute to her client, who had only been given minimal provisions in the past 48 hours.
As the queue extends outside into the sunlight, a man who had left returns, distributing water to the individuals waiting.
After a prolonged wait, families finally begin to enter the building for visitations, much later than scheduled.
Jasmin Camacho Picazo, still dressed in hospital scrubs from her job, seeks her husband again, concerned for his well-being.
She brings him a sweater, worried about his discomfort and pain, which has worsened from sleeping on the hard ground.
“He mentioned this morning (that) people were drinking from the restroom toilet water,” Picazo recounts.
Her heart breaks as she shows footage of his abandoned car, window smashed, still with keys left in the ignition.
In tears, she expresses her sorrow, especially as her child asks: “Is Papa going to pick me up from school?”
As families continue to wait, over five hours after their initial arrival, Jimenez finally has the chance to see her stepfather.
“He was sad and he’s scared,
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