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Amid growing fears over deadly wildfires and false evacuation warnings, Angelenos were once again thrown into panic on Friday when social media rumors about an immigrant sweep in Los Angeles began circulating online.
The false alarm, a single message from an unknown sender, stated that people had seen U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in several South Los Angeles neighborhoods and nearby cities, including Pasadena, El Segundo, and Inglewood.
The Department of Homeland Security said there were no large-scale enforcement operations in Southern California.
The sender of the false report also said a friend works for the city of Lakewood and passed on information that ICE was raiding the Winco Foods supermarket chain and other local businesses in the area.
A spokesperson for Winco Foods could not be reached for comment. An employee at the Lakewood branch, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media, said the grocery store does not conduct immigration screening.
Lakewood City Administrator Thaddeus McCormack said federal law enforcement has not informed the city of the operation, but added that he is not aware of any immigration officers in the area.
He said he has heard similar rumors, including false claims that there is an immigration checkpoint on Lakewood Boulevard, one of the city’s main thoroughfares.
“I would say it’s not showing,” he said.
Department of Homeland Security spokeswoman Alecia Smock said there were no large-scale enforcement actions in Southern California.
In a written statement, the federal agency said that during large-scale emergencies, “protected areas” include evacuation routes, sites used for shelter and distribution of emergency supplies, and registration sites for disaster-related assistance and reunification, among other areas. He said he would not engage in immigration enforcement activities. About family and loved ones.
“DHS is committed to ensuring that all individuals seeking shelter, relief, or other assistance as a result of natural disasters or emergencies are able to do so, regardless of their immigration status,” the statement said. are.
The hoax was published 10 days before President-elect Donald Trump was inaugurated. President Trump has promised to begin mass deportations on the day he takes office, and has chosen former acting ICE Director Thomas Homan as his “border czar” to get that done.
This hoax is similar to one that spread across the United States during President Trump’s first term. Misinformation about immigration and cleaning was spread across various social media platforms, prompting a police investigation.
Times staff writer Noah Haggerty contributed to this report.
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