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Workers who arrived at Home Depot in Pomona on Tuesday morning met uniformed immigrants and customs enforcement agencies who reportedly began cutting workers in parking lots in hopes of earning a day’s wages.
L.A. County Superintendent Hilda Solis said her office was told by community members that around 15-20 people were in custody.
“In response, I promptly directed the Los Angeles County Immigration Office to connect with the Pomona Day Labor Center, ensuring that those affected receive the support and resources they need,” she said in a statement. “This remains a developing situation, but we would like to reaffirm our unwavering commitment to ensuring that all residents, regardless of their status of immigration, are aware of and able to exercise their constitutional rights.”
One of the workers on the day they avoided being detained spoke to ABC7 News about the traumatic effects of the attack.
“I arrived here and started crying when I started watching the scene. Tears started to go away,” the man said in Spanish. “We’re here. We’re humans. We’re here just to support ourselves and maintain our family.”
Immigration rights groups quickly condemned the lawsuit. The attack occurred around 8:30am, and involves both marked and unmarked vans, according to the Pomona Economic Opportunity Centre, a non-profit Day labor organization.
“We don’t stay quiet. It’s not a crime to seek employment. It’s not a crime to provide to someone you love,” the Centre said in a statement on social media. “Don’t be afraid, be vigilant and broaden your strength.”
The organization urged community members to report immigration enforcement to the Inland Coalition at Immigration Justice Quick Response Hotline (909) 361-4588. In the wake of President Trump’s pledge to crack down on illegal immigration, community groups have set up chip lines across California to track and spread information about ice activity.
ICE did not immediately respond to Times’ request for comment. We have issued a statement to ABC7 that we cannot provide certain information about our daily routines due to the tempo of the agency’s work and the large amount of requests it receives.
The Pomona Police Department confirmed an immigration lawsuit Tuesday but said it had no prior knowledge or involvement regarding the attack.
“As a reminder, the Pomona Police Department is not carrying out immigration enforcement, a function of federal law enforcement,” the department said in a statement. “Pomona PD was not involved in the detention of individuals near Home Depot today and was not working with federal agencies.”
Trump vowed to carry out the biggest deportation effort in US history, declaring a national emergency at the southern border and deploying troops there.
He issued an executive order restricting legal pathways for entry into the United States, strengthening efforts to block US Mexican borders and promoting a sweeping to round up and deport those who are not permitted to be in the United States.
According to the US Department of Homeland Security, there are an estimated 11 to 15 million undocumented immigrants in the US, including more than 2 million.
Under the Trump administration, ICE is already running well-known businesses in Chicago and New York. Many believe that Southern California will become the next target in a massive immigration lawsuit.
In February, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Officers knocked on the doors of a few homes in the Los Angeles area. Earlier this year, US Border Patrol agents conducted a three-day raid in rural Kern County, targeting Latino farm workers and daytime workers.
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