Dozens of residents demand Whittier bar ICE from using city property after June enforcement actions

Dozens of residents filled the Whittier Community Center on Tuesday evening to press the Whittier City Council to block U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement from using city property after enforcement actions in the city earlier this month, saying officers used the public library parking lot and other sites to stage arrests.

The crowd — more than 40 people were counted by staff — spent the public-comment portion of the meeting describing fear in the community, calling for a formal sanctuary-city declaration and for the council to prohibit ICE from staging operations on city-owned property. City Manager Tom McNamara told the meeting staff had not been notified in advance of the federal actions.

Why it matters: Speakers said the raids disrupted daily life, scared children and customers away from businesses and used public facilities that families rely on. They urged immediate council action to protect residents’ access to libraries, parks and city services and to provide transparency about any coordination between federal agents and local departments.

Residents delivered emotional first-person accounts and specific policy requests. Veronica Gonzales, who identified herself as an educator and Whittier resident, said: “I urge you to officially…