West Covina residents demand city council oppose ICE raids and protect immigrant rights

In the heart of West Covina, a palpable tension filled the air during the city council meeting on June 17, 2025, as residents voiced their deep concerns over recent Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids affecting their community. The meeting, attended by a diverse group of speakers, highlighted the emotional and social turmoil that these actions have inflicted on families and individuals, particularly those with immigrant backgrounds.

One resident, a business owner and son of immigrants, passionately urged the council to take a public stance against ICE operations, emphasizing the need for inclusivity and safety within the community. He expressed gratitude for local police and fire departments but called for a clear message from the council that they would not support ICE's actions, which he described as unjust and lacking due process for many immigrants.

Ernesto Garcia, another speaker, echoed these sentiments, requesting that the city manager compile a list of city-owned properties to ensure they are not used by federal agencies for enforcement actions. He stressed the importance of protecting residents' rights and safety, urging the council to consult legal experts to explore ways to limit cooperation with ICE.

The emotional weight of the discussion intensified as Brian Calderon Tabatabai shared harrowing accounts of families torn apart by ICE raids, recounting incidents where individuals were apprehended in broad daylight. He called for explicit legal protections for public spaces, asserting that the council's silence on the matter could be perceived as complicity in the federal government's actions against immigrant families.

As the meeting progressed, other residents, including Christina Larios, the interim library manager, shifted the focus momentarily to community events, but the overarching theme remained clear: the fear and uncertainty surrounding immigration enforcement were overshadowing the community's sense of safety and belonging.

Shahzad, another speaker, articulated the horror many felt regarding the treatment of undocumented residents, emphasizing that innocent individuals were being swept up in enforcement actions without due process. He urged the council to refuse any collaboration with ICE, highlighting the detrimental impact such actions have on community trust and public safety.

The meeting concluded with a call to action for the council members to stand in solidarity with their constituents, many of whom feel increasingly vulnerable under current immigration policies. The residents of West Covina left the meeting with a renewed sense of urgency, hoping their voices would resonate with the council and lead to meaningful change in how their city addresses the challenges posed by federal immigration enforcement.