A number of cities in Southern California have canceled or postponed Fourth of July celebrations over fears that ICE may goal massive public gatherings.
Canceled or postponed occasions have been reported in cities together with Los Angeles, Huntington Park, Cudahy, Bell Gardens and Whittier after native officers mentioned residents raised issues.
According to The New York Times, about 2,000 immigrants within the Los Angeles space have been arrested for the reason that starting of June, when a collection of immigration raids sparked protests and drew a heavy legislation enforcement response and army deployment. Since then, arrests have been reported at taco trucks, worksites and even immigration court — prompting some Latino residents to keep away from going out in public, whether or not they have authorized standing or not.
Huntington Park, California, has put a 30-day pause on summer time occasions due to “rising disruptions” by ICE exercise, according to a reported city statement.
“Experiences of unmarked automobiles and unidentified federal brokers have created widespread nervousness, significantly amongst immigrant and mixed-status households,” the assertion reads. “Many residents have expressed concern and uncertainty, main them to stay indoors, chorus from work, and withdraw from every day public life. Our precedence is and can proceed to be the security and peace of thoughts of our group.”
The City of Cudahy announced on social media that its Independence Day Celebration will likely be postponed “as a result of latest occasions and issues relating to the security of our residents.” The announcement comes after the city’s vice mayor posted a now-deleted TikTok calling on gang members to defend their territory amid ICE raids. She mentioned later that the FBI visited her dwelling.
Town of Bell Gardens announced on Instagram that “out of an abundance of warning relating to issues for resident security over federal immigration enforcement actions,” the town was canceling occasions between final week and July 10.
Fourth of July occasions within the Los Angeles neighborhoods of Boyle Heights, El Sereno, Lincoln Heights and northeast Los Angeles have been postponed to August as a result of immigration raids, Councilmember Ysabel Jurado’s office announced.
Jurado, who represents District 14, has spoken out in opposition to the ICE raids on social media.
Gloria Molina Grand Park in Downtown Los Angeles announced on its website that due to “latest occasions affecting a portion of Downtown L.A. and the continuing circumstances impacting the area,” its summer time block occasion could be postponed till later in the summertime.
The mayor of the town of Whittier, a metropolis in Los Angeles County, said in a news release that the town is canceling its Fourth of July Freedom Stroll after residents expressed their issues.
“Whereas celebrating our nation’s founding is essential to me and to Whittier residents, my colleagues and I additionally wish to be delicate to the latest suggestions we’ve acquired from some group members asking that we pause this yr’s Freedom Stroll occasion,” Mayor Joe Vinatieri said in a news release.
It’s unclear what the suggestions was. Reps from the town didn’t reply to a request for remark.
The ICE raids have left concern and nervousness in lots of Latinos dwelling within the U.S. Immigrants — documented and undocumented — have mentioned they don’t go away their houses as a result of they’re afraid of getting swept up in a raid.
Hector Mata, a 22-year-old U.S. citizen, told The New York Times that he avoids taking the bus.
“I’m brown and that’s all they want,” Mata mentioned about federal brokers.
Huntington Park Mayor Arturo Flores has been outspoken in opposition to the ICE raids, calling them a “marketing campaign of home terror.”
“It’s a marketing campaign of home terror that’s being imposed on our residents each day,” Flores mentioned, according to the Guardian. “It’s a degree of psychological warfare that I’ve solely seen in theaters of battle. It’s terrifying seeing it being displayed right here in my metropolis.”
