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Neighbors are seeking answers after the community is still recovering from the deadly Eaton fire after six people were taken into custody during an ice attack in Pasadena on Wednesday.
Some community members say the attacks continue to affect businesses such as construction, including Altadena, which is in the early stages of the reconstruction process.
“After the Eton Fire, it was the immigrant community, Dei Labose, who raised his hand to help with the cleanup. To help with recovery,” said Jose Madera, director of the Pasadena Community Job Centre.
Madera has hosted workers from Lake Avenue since the end of Etonfire.
In February, NBC4 chased farm workers and employed workers from the employment centre as they helped clean ashes and debris from their Altadena home.
But now Madera says many are scared, especially after this week’s ice attack.
A mobile phone video shared with NBC4 appears to show federal agents at a bus stop in Pasadena early Wednesday morning, with at least one person being handcuffed near the Orange Grove Shopping Center.
“A lot of them are scary because what they’ve seen in the news, what they’ve seen on social media and that’s hurting the recovery process in Altadena,” Madera said.
At least six people were taken into custody by ICE agents on Wednesday, according to community leaders. Among them was Pablo Vazquez, the uncle of Gerald Diaz, an undocumented immigrant from Mexico who had been in the United States for over 20 years.
“Every day he comes here at this bus stop and waits for him to get on board for him to do his job. Unfortunately, he was intercepted by the ice agent who took him,” Diaz said.
It is unclear whether Diaz or his family has been in contact with his uncle since he was taken into custody.
NBC4 reached out to the ice about the events in Pasadena. The spokesman only provided a general statement on the day of the attack, and has said in part.
“US immigrants, customs enforcers and agents are on the streets every day. Public safety is prioritized by finding, arresting and removing criminal foreign criminals and immigrant violators from our neighborhood.”
Rep. Judy Chu criticized the attack in Pasadena on his social media page, saying that ice agents were masked, not offering warrants or explanations, and pointing guns at people
Assistant Secretary to the Department of Homeland Security says masks worn by ice agents are to protect them from targeting them.
“Even after this attack, many people call it a disaster after the disaster, because it’s a disaster that our families are facing. We’re united. We’re here. We’re organized,” Madera said.
Madera said the rapid response team is currently running around the community to warn of immigration operations and will continue to do so as long as they are happening.
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