LOS ANGELES — Rep. Gil Cisneros, D-Covina, on Satufday criticized the arrest of an El Monte woman and her son by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials.
Her family told NBC4 that Yolanda does not have a criminal record and that Johnathan’s unspecified crime occurred 12 years ago.
“These arrests are sickening, and I have grave concerns with how these arrests were reported to have been carried out by ICE,” Cisneros said in a statement. “The 31st District is home to many immigrant families who came to our country wanting to contribute to our communities and local economy. This El Monte family was simply trying to care for the youngest daughter and work to provide her with the healthcare treatments she needs. Stoking fear, targeting our community members, and ripping apart families is not an acceptable solution for our broken immigration system. We need humane comprehensive immigration reform that addresses bad actors, but still upholds our American values and helps bring immigrants who have been living in our country out of the shadows. My office will continue to monitor this situation.”
ICE officials released the following statement to NBC4:
“ICE is focused (on) public safety and national security threats first and foremost. However, any individual illegally present in the U.S. who is encountered during an immigration enforcement operation may be taken into custody and processed for removal as stated by law.”
Since taking office in January, President Donald Trump has followed through on his promise to increase enforcement of the nation’s immigration laws, carrying out deportation operations in multiple states focused primarily on undocumented immigrants accused of crimes.
A series of recent federal law enforcement actions in the Los Angeles area have caught the attention of local officials and immigrant-rights activists.
Los Angeles City Councilwoman Eunisses Hernandez spoke at the beginning of Friday morning’s council meeting to express concern about the activity.
“Colleagues, this morning we have been receiving reports from my district and from others about aggressive immigration raids and enforcement,” Hernandez said. “My team and I have been in contact with community members and rapid response organizers since early this morning. The stories we are hearing are heartbreaking and indefensible. When we fought to make Los Angeles a sanctuary city last year, it’s because this is what we feared. We feared for our neighbors, for our families for our children, families being ripped apart. We feared for people who would be targeted by weak-minded politicians who rely on ripping families apart.”
LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell said Friday that the department was not assisting in any federal actions directed at illegal immigration.
“I want to be absolutely clear: The LAPD does not participate in civil immigration enforcement,” McDonnell said. “This has been the department’s policy since 1979, and it remains unchanged today.”
Meanwhile, the Department of Defense announced Saturday that the Pentagon is deploying a Stryker Brigade Combat Team and a General Support Aviation Battalion to the southwestern border to boost security. The units, equipped with wheeled vehicle and air capabilities, are set be employed in the coming weeks.
Each SBCT is a mechanized infantry force of approximately 4,400 soldiers.
“These forces will arrive in the coming weeks, and their deployment underscores the department’s unwavering dedication to working alongside the Department of Homeland Security to secure our southern border and maintain the sovereignty, territorial integrity and security of the United States under President Trump’s leadership,” Pentagon Press Secretary Sean Parnell said.