Monrovia council addresses public outcry over immigration enforcement; city manager and attorney clarify procedures

Monrovia officials responded Tuesday to multiple public comments about an early-August enforcement incident at a Home Depot that speakers said resulted in the death of Roberto Carlos Montoya Valdez. City Manager Dylan Feek and City Attorney Craig Steele spoke during the meeting to clarify the city’s legal limits and to summarize the city’s response to the public’s concerns.

Speakers during the public-comment period said they were worried about immigration enforcement practices after the Home Depot incident and asked for mayoral accountability and local protections. The council heard six public commenters on the single incident; attendees pressed the council and mayor to show presence at vigils and community gatherings, and some criticized the mayor’s response.

The city attorney told the council in closed session and at the meeting that federal immigration authorities are not required to notify the city or the Monrovia Police Department before conducting enforcement operations. City Manager Dylan Feek addressed the public comments on the record, offering context and clarification; he said staff wanted the public record to reflect facts discussed at the meeting. Mayor Becky Shevlin closed the meeting by extending the council’s “heartfelt thoughts and prayers to the family of Roberto, Carlos Montoya Valdez.”

City officials and council members encouraged residents to use the city’s immigration resource center and described faith-based and regional partners that provide assistance. Mayor Shevlin noted that several area faith groups and neighboring cities have been participating in related panels and meetings. Council members also said they plan to seek updates from state elected officials about policy responses to immigration enforcement that affect the region.

Council members and staff emphasized the limits of local authority in matters of federal enforcement and urged residents to use local resources for legal information and services. City staff pointed attendees to the immigration resource center and to ongoing collaborations with faith-based organizations in Monrovia and neighboring cities. No new local ordinance or formal policy change regarding immigration enforcement was proposed or adopted during the meeting.

The exchange marked an extended, atypical back-and-forth between Mayor Shevlin and City Attorney Steele, followed by City Manager Feek’s direct remarks to public commenters. That response was notable in length and tone compared with typical municipal meetings, where managers and attorneys generally limit remarks during public comment.

The council meeting also included other agenda business, including proclamations and presentations, but the immigration-related public comments and the city’s responses dominated public attention and discussion at the Sept. 2 meeting.