Federal immigration agents arrested about 20 day laborers outside a Home Depot in Pomona on April 22, prompting swift backlash from community organizations and local officials.
According to LA County Supervisor Hilda Solis and the Pomona Economic Opportunity Center (PEOC), the arrests occurred around 8 a.m. on April 22, when multiple agents from U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) arrived in official vehicles at the Home Depot parking lot and detained between 15 and 20 individuals.
A migrant worker who witnessed the incident said federal agents showed up in several USBP-marked vehicles and began detaining people. A video shared by another eyewitness captured three USBP vehicles and an unmarked white van outside the store. It remains unclear whether the individuals were working at Home Depot or what their immigration statuses were.
Community Response and Protests
Some local advocacy groups condemned the operation, calling it an indiscriminate raid. A representative from PEOC said USBP agents loaded the workers into vehicles without disclosing their destination or status.
An eyewitness named Carlos told KTLA5 that he arrived during the arrests and was overcome with emotion. “I cried when I saw it. We are just human beings trying to support our families,” he said.
There were additional reports that a Hispanic barber operating a nearby shop was detained without warning. His son said the barber had run the business for 20 years and was shocked by the armed federal agents who entered the shop without notice.
Elected Officials Condemn the Operation
Supervisor Hilda Solis released a statement urging the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to halt all immigration enforcement in the area. “Everyone should be protected under the Constitution, regardless of their immigration status,” she said, adding that she had contacted the county’s immigration affairs office to provide support for those detained.
The Pomona Police Department stated on social media that it did not assist or coordinate with federal immigration officials during the raid.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) told ABC7 News that it does not comment on ongoing enforcement activity or specific cases.
Broader Trend in Southern California
The Pomona raid comes amid reports of increased immigration enforcement across Southern California.
On April 22, the Los Angeles Times reported that undocumented immigrants from Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia who have lived in the region for over a decade are increasingly being detained or deported. Many had been allowed to stay in the U.S. under the condition of routine check-ins with ICE.
According to Asian Americans Advancing Justice Southern California (AJSOCAL), more than 17 Southeast Asian immigrants from Los Angeles and Orange counties have recently been detained or deported after such check-ins. Connie Chung Joe, Co-Executive Director of AJSOCAL, said these actions “tear families apart and harm the community.”
BY HYOUNGJAE KIM [kim.ian@koreadaily.com]
