Residents demand city action after ICE raids at swap meet; call for sanctuary declaration

Dozens of residents told the Santa Fe Springs City Council on Monday that recent U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement enforcement actions at the city swap meet have terrorized families and businesses, and they urged city leaders to declare Santa Fe Springs a sanctuary city and adopt a rapid-response plan to protect residents.

The speakers — including longtime residents, workers and local organizers — said masked agents detained people without due process, entered worksites and used force that left families afraid to leave their homes. "I was shocked not to just see the images of masked agents terrorizing families and shutting down our local businesses, but by the complete silence from our city," said Maria Salazar, a longtime resident, during the public-comment period.

The neighborhood outcry: why residents say it matters

Public commenters said silence from city leadership has increased fear in the community and asked the council to adopt concrete protections. Javier Garcia told the council the city "failed" to protect residents and called for removal of officials who do not act. Eddie Gonzalez, an organizer with the Garment Workers Center, said some workplaces have been targeted and reported that "24 workers were taken" in a recent enforcement action, adding that detained workers were denied timely access to counsel.

Speakers suggested specific steps the council could take: make a public statement denouncing ICE tactics, adopt a local policy refusing use of city resources for immigration enforcement, create a verified resident alert system for ICE activity, offer mental-health and social services to affected families, and form a community-led rapid-response team. Araceli Espino Samid said she had collected a petition with "110 signatures" asking the council to affirm Santa Fe Springs as a sanctuary city.

What the council did

Council members listened to the comments during the public-comment period; no council member moved to adopt a sanctuary declaration or to direct staff to draft new local ordinances during the meeting. Speakers repeatedly said they had not received direct responses from city staff. Several public commenters referenced an email they said was sent by the city manager naming staff deployed to National Guard duties; a speaker read names they said were in an email from "city manager Renee Bobadilla." The council did not announce any immediate follow-up actions on the record.

Context and next steps cited by speakers

Commenters pressed the council to use existing local resources — for example, community services, the library and city communications channels — for outreach, legal aid and safety planning. Madeline Ortega, a library worker and 24-year resident, said the library should host immigration-rights workshops and other supports. Multiple speakers said volunteer rapid-response groups in the community are already active but need official city support.

The city did not take formal action on these requests at the meeting. Public comment concluded and the council moved on to other agenda items.