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Monrovia residents press council over death after Home Depot immigration enforcement; city staff respond
Summary
Six speakers at the Sept. 2 Monrovia City Council meeting urged action after the reported death of Roberto Carlos Montoya Valdez during a Home Depot immigration enforcement incident. City staff clarified local limits on responding to federal immigration operations and pointed residents to the city's immigration resource center.
Six residents urged the Monrovia City Council on Sept. 2 to respond after the reported death of Roberto Carlos Montoya Valdez following an immigration-enforcement action at a Home Depot in early August. The public comment period included six speakers who described the incident and asked city leaders for greater accountability.
Why it matters: speakers said the incident raised community concerns about how federal immigration enforcement is carried out locally and whether the city can be notified or take steps to protect residents. The conversation prompted an unusual extended exchange among city legal staff and the mayor, and prompted City Manager Dylan Feek to offer clarifying remarks on the council record.
City staff told the council that federal immigration authorities are not required to notify the city or to coordinate with the Monrovia Police Department before conducting enforcement operations. Mayor Becky Shevlin also highlighted the city's immigration resource center and encouraged affected residents to use its services and supports. The meeting record shows some speakers directly criticized the mayor for her absence at a vigil; council members and staff responded on the record to questions and concerns raised during public comment.
The session combined public expression of grief and calls for action with staff clarifications about the limits of local authority. The council did not, during the meeting, adopt new local policy restricting federal enforcement or announce a formal investigation; the meeting record shows staff provided context and information and the mayor extended the council's thoughts and prayers to the family of Roberto Carlos Montoya Valdez at adjournment.
Other related items on the Sept. 2 agenda included a pulled item concerning a proposed letter of support for Assembly Bill 715 (a K'12 antisemitism prevention measure) and a separate letter of opposition for Senate Bill 79 related to housing development. Those legislative items were discussed but no local ordinance or policy change related to federal immigration enforcement was adopted at the meeting.
The council's next regular meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2025, at 7:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers.
