Hundreds marched through Highland Park over the weekend to denounce a surge in immigration raids across Southern California, rally organizers told News Of Los Angeles.
At a Glance
- Demonstrators filled the streets after a food vendor was detained last Monday
- Parents brought children to voice fear of family separations
- No response yet from the Department of Homeland Security
- Why it matters: Neighborhoods worry daily life is being criminalized
The Sunday demonstration capped a week that saw nearly a dozen immigration enforcement operations reported by News Of Los Angeles since January 1, including the Highland Park arrest that sparked local outrage.
‘Everyone Is Really Frightened’
Protesters carried signs and chanted as families lined the sidewalks.
“Everyone is really frightened because I know people who work on the street and the neighborhood – these are just regular people. We are not frightened by them – we are more frightened by ICE,” said Joshua Wood, a Highland Park resident who attended with his children.
Wood’s sentiment echoed through the crowd. Vendors, parents, and students voiced a common theme: the raids target people they see as neighbors, not threats.
Politicians Face Pressure
Monica Alcaraz, an organizer with Highland Park Strong, demanded action from every level of government.
“It’s incredible that this continues to happen. It gets worse and worse. I’m going to call on every politician from the governor to our senators to our congressmembers,” Alcaraz said.
She urged sustained community turnout: “We are just tired of it – we are calling on everybody to come out and support.”
Families Count the Cost
City councilmember Eunisses Hernandez tied the raids to wider economic pain.
“We have seen the fiscal impacts on our city budget, we are seeing the impacts on families that can’t work – that are seeing evictions,” Hernandez said.
Parents described children afraid to go to school.
“I’m here because my daughter is scared – she says because I’m brown, she is afraid ICE is going to take me,” said Angela Vizcaya, a local resident.
Community Vows to Keep Gathering
Organizers say the weekend rally will not be the last.
“We have to unite as a community because our children are seeing this,” said Maria Lou Calanche, who attended with her family.
News Of Los Angeles contacted the Department of Homeland Security for details on last Monday’s Highland Park operation but has received no response.
Key Takeaways
- A single vendor’s detention ignited neighborhood-wide resistance
- Parents report children fearing separation from loved ones
- City leaders cite both human and budgetary fallout
- Federal agencies have yet to publicly explain the scope of recent raids
