Southeast LA officials denounce ICE raids after arrests at Huntington Park Home Depot

Southeast Los Angeles officials addressed the Huntington Park community Monday afternoon, June 9, amid growing immigration enforcement raids across Los Angeles County — including arrests that morning in the city.

Huntington Park Mayor Arturo Flores, along with officials from other Southeast Los Angeles County cities, denounced the recent actions of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and the federal government at a Monday afternoon press conference in the courtyard at Huntington Park City Hall, raising awareness to local residents that could be under threat of the heightened presence of immigration enforcement across the region and in their own neighborhoods.

“Trump’s administration’s immigration policy was centered around public safety,” Flores said, “but the actions that were seeing take place are counterintuitive to that narrative.”

Around 7:30 a.m. Monday, ICE agents conducted an operation at The Home Depot, 3040 Slauson Ave., Flores said. Huntington Park officials have not received confirmation of how many people were arrested during the incident or where the detainees were taken.

“What we’re seeing is the arbitrary enforcement of anybody that essentially looks or might be Latino in areas where they might be trying to find work or employment,” Flores said. “You have hard working Americans getting picked up and kidnapped from our streets.”

A detainment scare at a local graduation Monday morning also sparked fear among the Southeast Los Angeles community, the mayor said during a season of families celebrating their students’ academic achievements.

“Rumors started spreading very quickly that ICE was outside,” Flores said. “The auditorium erupted into chaos; (a moment when) families that were supposed to be celebrating their child’s achievements, milestones turned into horror and a terrifying experience with fear that they might not be able to continue to be a part of their family.”

“We see the fear of our families,” Lynwood Mayor Rita Soto said.

“They are around,” she added, “disturbing our community right now when families are celebrating milestones with their students.”

ICE agents also patrolled at Plaza Mexico in Lynwood on Monday, Soto said.

Huntington Park Vice Mayor Eddie Martinez encouraged people to continue attending graduations with pride and without fear dampening their time of celebration — but to also talk to their families about how to respond if they are met with an ICE-related situation.

Huntington Park police Chief Cosme Lozano reassured the community that his department is not working with ICE on any of its efforts to detain and deport people.

“The Police Department aligns with state law,” Lozano said. “We don’t assist federal agents, and we work hard at maintaining trust with our community members.”

Flores said he expects actions like these to continue for the next month or so, especially as President Donald Trump announced he will deploy 700 U.S. Marines to Los Angeles.

“The US Marine Corps is one of the deadliest forces in the world, with the capacity to inflict violence on anyone at any time,” said Flores, who has served as a Marine himself. “I’ve never thought there would be the potential to see something like that play out in my own backyard.”

Huntington Park Councilmember Jonathan Sanabria said the city will not only fight for sanctuary in its name, but also put providing sanctuary into practice.

“If we believe in (being a) sanctuary city, it must be more than a slogan,” Sanabria said. “It must be a commitment to protect people; to every immigrant: you are not alone, we see you, we stand with you.”

Sanabria, born to immigrant parents from El Salvador, said that people who flee other countries to come to the U.S are seeking safety and a future for their children.

“ICE is in our neighborhoods spreading lies and inviting fear,” Sanabria said. “This is not public safety; it is state-sanctioned intimidation.”

Cudahy Mayor Elizabeth Alcantar Loza told community members what to do if approached by ICE, encouraging them not to let fear deter them from standing their legal ground.

If immigration agents show up at one’s home or car, Alcantar Loza said, people have a right not to open their doors until they see a judicial warrant with their name on it. She also encouraged people not to sign any documents presented to them without speaking to or having their lawyer with them.

If members of the public see a raid, she added, they should document what they see and take photos, as well as call LA County’s Rapid Response Network at 888-624-4752.