Pomona residents outraged after federal agents seen detaining more than a dozen day laborers outside of Home Depot
Some Pomona residents were joined by activists as they demanded the release of more than a dozen day laborers who were seen being taken into custody by federal agents outside of a Home Depot on Tuesday.
"Our people should not be living in fear," said Lizbeth Abeln, Deputy Director of the Inland Coalition for Immigrant Justice, during a rally. "This is something that has been happening across the U.S."
The U.S. Customs and Border Patrol said agents were targeting a person with an active arrest warrant. When they apprehended him, agents also arrested nine of the other day laborers.
"Several of those apprehended had prior charges, including child abuse, assault with a deadly weapon, immigration violations, and DUI," Assistant Commissioner Hilton Beckham stated.
This action comes on the heels of the Trump Administration's executive order to enforce the nation's immigration laws. He says that illegal immigration costs taxpayers billions of dollars and threatens public safety.
Carlos is one of many day laborers in Southern California that disputes those claims. He was at the Home Depot when he saw people being taken into custody.
"When I started seeing the scene I started crying," he told CBS News Los Angeles in Spanish. "We're here only to find work, to support our families, from wherever they're from. From Honduras, from Central America, from Mexico."
After the news began to gather traction through the city, Pomona Police Department officials made a post on social media to say that they had no prior knowledge that the detainments would take place and that they did not collaborate with the operation.
"As a reminder, the Pomona Police Department does not conduct immigration enforcement, which is a function of federal law enforcement," their statement said.
Residents say the Home Depot incident wasn't the only immigration enforcement operation that happened in Pomona on Tuesday.
"My dad was arrested by, I believe, it was Border Patrol at gunpoint," said Miguel Majin. "I think that was unnecessary."
He said that his father was on his way to work at the barbershop he's owned for more than two decades. He believes that law enforcement is focusing on the wrong things.
"They're not doing anything about the homeless doing drugs, but yet they're taking people that are working every day and paying taxes," Majin said.
The Inland Coalition for Immigrant Justice and Pomona Day Laborer Center is urging people to call their rapid response hotline to report an immigration raid.
Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda Solis also shared a statement upon learning of the operation.
"This morning, my office was alerted by community members of a federal Homeland Security presence in the City of Pomona, where approximately 15–20 day laborers were reportedly detained. In response, I immediately directed the Los Angeles County Office of Immigrant Affairs to connect with the Pomona Day Labor Center to ensure those impacted receive the support and resources they need. Just last week, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved an additional $5.5 million in funding for RepresentLA—a program dedicated to providing our immigrant community with access to legal representation," the statement said. "While this remains a developing situation, I want to reaffirm my unwavering commitment to ensuring that all residents, regardless of their immigration status, are aware of and can exercise their constitutional rights."
