Immigrant workers rebuilding California after wildfires are now being hunted in parking lots.
More than 20 immigrant day laborers were detained Tuesday morning in a surprise federal immigration raid that has shaken the Latino community in Pomona and beyond. The operation took place in the parking lot of a Home Depot store, a common gathering spot for undocumented workers seeking honest construction work to support their families.
According to witnesses, Border Patrol agents arrived between 8:30 and 9:30 a.m. in both marked and unmarked vehicles. They quickly blocked off both entrances to the lot and began questioning and detaining laborers. Surveillance and cellphone videos captured scenes of chaos and fear — men being surrounded at gunpoint, rushed into vans, and taken to undisclosed locations.
“This is not about safety. This is about sending a message of fear,” said Pablo Alvarado, co-director of the National Day Laborer Organizing Network (NDLON). “These are hardworking people, many of whom helped clear debris and rebuild after the devastating Eaton Fire in January. Los Angeles needs their labor, not their persecution.”
One particularly harrowing moment caught on video shows Miguel Majin’s father — a longtime Pomona resident and local business owner — being detained at gunpoint outside the barbershop he’s run for nearly 20 years.
“They got him at gunpoint and he surrendered,” said Majin. “My dad’s not a criminal. He owns property. He pays taxes. This is wrong.”
The raid sparked immediate protests outside the store, led by immigrant rights groups including NDLON, the Inland Coalition for Immigrant Justice, and the Pomona Economic Opportunity Center. Advocates demanded answers and questioned the legality and motivations of the raid.
“It is not a crime to look for work,” said attorney Jessica Bansal of NDLON. “We are demanding transparency. What information did Border Patrol use to justify these arrests?”
Some activists and community members believe Home Depot may have cooperated with immigration authorities, though the company has not confirmed any involvement. Local officials have also voiced concern. Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda Solis issued a statement condemning the raid and directing county resources to help the families affected. “No one should live in fear because of their immigration status. We are committed to protecting the rights of all residents,” she stated, noting that the County recently approved $5.5 million in legal support for immigrants through the RepresentLA program.
This is not the first time CBP agents have gone far beyond the border to conduct operations. In January, they traveled over 300 miles into California’s Central Valley to arrest over 200 farmworkers.
