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Councilmember presents video alleging ICE 'kidnapping' at Terminal Island, seeks port police cooperation
Summary
A councilmember showed a video the morning of Aug. 26 that he said depicts ICE officers detaining people at Terminal Island. He introduced an amendment asking the police department at the port to work with his office and community witnesses and asked that evidence be preserved for prosecutors.
Councilmember Macosker (district 15) showed a brief video at the start of the Aug. 26 meeting that he said documented U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers detaining people at the Harbor/Terminal Island area. Macosker said the footage shows officers mocking community members and that the conduct amounted to threats and “kidnapping.”
“Voy a exhortar a la gente a que documenten… la evidencia se puede usar en la corte cuando los oficiales no se identifican y sus derechos se violan,” Macosker told colleagues while presenting the video. He said the video captured officers who “sin una orden judicial… están amenazando con secuestrar.”
Macosker said he planned to amend a motion before the council to require clear guidance and communication procedures about federal immigration activity and “cómo se relacionan con la policía del puerto.” He asked that the port police participate with his office and with community witnesses to collect and preserve evidence. He also said he would ask that the evidence be provided to the district attorney’s office and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to consider criminal charges for threats and other conduct.
Presiding Council President Masquis Harris and the council’s city attorney were on the dais while Macosker spoke; the city attorney was asked to prepare the council for public comment. Macosker said the police-port relationship and the conduct shown in the video had been occurring “por muchos meses” and urged residents to document similar incidents.
The transcript records Macosker saying he would “amend that motion today” and asking for members’ votes in favor, but the meeting record in the provided transcript does not show a subsequent vote on the amendment or final action on the proposed motion.
Why it matters: Councilmembers and community groups have previously raised concerns about federal immigration enforcement activity in port and harbor areas. The proposed amendment would seek to formalize communication procedures and get port police to review and collect evidence from community witnesses.
What’s next: Macosker said evidence would be provided to prosecuting offices and that his office would seek port police cooperation; no vote on the motion appears in the recorded transcript excerpt.
