Federal immigration agents detained a group of day laborers on Tuesday morning in Pomona, activists said.
“It is not a crime to look for work. It is not a crime to be a day laborer,” Jessica Bansal, an attorney with the National Day Laborer Organizing Network, said on KTLA.
Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda Solis in a statement said she asked a county agency to ensure those affected to receive the support and resources they need. She said about 15-20 day laborers were detained.
“I want to reaffirm my unwavering commitment to ensuring that all residents, regardless of their immigration status, are aware of and can exercise their constitutional rights,” Solis said in the statement.
A Home Depot representative said to reach out to law enforcement with any questions, saying of the immigration enforcement operation, “They operate independently of our business.”
A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) representative said that agency was not involved in the operation. The U.S. Border Patrol and the Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The Trump administration has ramped up immigration enforcement since Donald Trump stepped back into the Oval Office in January, saying he intends to “carry out the largest domestic deportation operation in American history.”
