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Resident alleges abductions by ICE/CBP in public comment; council did not respond at the meeting
Summary
A longtime Montclair resident alleged during public comment that he witnessed an abduction and accused ICE/CBP of operating with unmarked vehicles and without due process; the claim was not addressed by staff or council during the meeting.
During the public-comment period, Robert Vbar — who said he grew up in Montclair and received local schooling — urged the city to investigate and respond to what he described as increasing enforcement activity by ICE and CBP.
Vbar recounted witnessing "an abduction of three people at a bus stop on Holton Ramona" and said "ICE enforcement is ramping up" with "unmarked vehicles ... abducting, assaulting, terrorizing, and trafficking our community members with impunity." He characterized the situation as a human-rights violation and said Montclair was "in a state of emergency," urging the council to act to protect residents.
No staff response, investigation status or follow-up plan was provided on the record during the meeting. The claim remained unresolved in the public hearing transcript.
The council did not discuss the allegation during subsequent agenda items. City staff should clarify whether the allegation was forwarded to public-safety staff, the police department, or any outside agency and report back to the council; residents requesting a formal inquiry should be told what procedural steps the city will take and whether any investigation is underway.
