Small‑business owner recounts partner’s sudden detention during public comment to Los Angeles City Council

Jenna Lawrence, a small‑business owner and Los Angeles resident, told the City Council during public comment on June 3 that her business partner, chef Carlos Lewell, was detained during an early‑morning enforcement action on May 9, 2026. Lawrence said the incident occurred at about 7:30 a.m. near La Granhall Rotisserie and that officers arrived quickly, surrounded vehicles and detained Lewell; she said the last words she heard were, "I love you, and I'll call you in a minute."

Lawrence described days of confusion after the detention, saying she was not able to locate Lewell in immigration databases, the Guatemalan consulate initially could not find him, and attorneys had difficulty identifying his location. She said calls she placed to facilities and officials yielded conflicting or no information and that for a time it felt as if he had "simply disappeared." (Speaker 45)

Lawrence said detainees were moved between locations with limited communication and that family members were left without reliable information about safety, food or basic conditions. Her testimony was offered as a personal account during the public‑comment period; no formal council action on the reported detention was recorded in the meeting segments provided.

Council staff had earlier announced public‑comment procedures and time limits, and the council president introduced Lawrence before her remarks. Lawrence requested that the council be informed about the status of the enforcement action and said the experience had been a traumatic one for her family and employees.

The council did not record a formal vote tied to the testimony in the segments provided; Lawrence’s description was delivered as public comment and raises questions about communications and tracking in the enforcement process that other offices or agencies may need to address.