Recently, the presence of anonymous federal agents has spiked in Southern California, as they are seen in videos that capture them surprisingly showing up at local businesses. Their objective seems to be detaining individuals they believe to be unauthorized immigrants. These officers are often seen in low-key outfits of t-shirts, jeans, and caps, with the only clue of their authority being an olive green vest displaying ‘Police’ or ‘Border Patrol’ inscribed in small yellow letters at the rear.
To cite an instance, on June 22, an event occurred in Torrance at a commercial establishment on 213th Street. Over a dozen officers, largely clothed in civilian clothes, arrived there and promptly handcuffed two workers. Afterwards, they proceeded to interrogate a third staff member.
As per local law enforcement agencies in Southern California, they are seldom notified about these immigration raids. It has been consistently reported that they are usually left uninformed about these sudden visits by federal agents.
Victor Gordo, the mayor of Pasadena, has expressed worry over the lack of visible identifying marks and coordination with local authorities. He cautioned that this could give rise to potential complications. The Mayor criticized the fact that federal agents step into their city without notifying local law enforcement agencies and also questioned their tendency of not clearly identifying themselves as law enforcers.
On a related development, Mayor Gordo voiced concern over an incident that took place on June 18. A mobile phone video captured footage of an officer, alleged to be from immigration, exiting an unmarked vehicle and pointing a firearm at a person who was simply taking photos. Such actions, he pointed out, lead to and already have triggered precariously dangerous situations for civic police personnel.
With a firm stance, he declared this activity unacceptable and demanded an immediate halt to it. Mayor Gordo emphasized that such practices risk public safety, which can never be taken lightly. He reiterated that local law enforcement agencies have not been a part of any immigration enforcement duties.
Echoing concerns, Los Angeles’s Mayor, Karen Bass, stressed during a press briefing that agents show up with no uniform. They remain fully masked throughout their operation and consistently decline to reveal their identities. She went on to question the ambiguous nature of their identities.
Mayor Bass pondered over their real profiles, contemplating if they were bounty hunters or self-styled frontier enforcers, vigilantes, perhaps. If they were truly federal officials, they should clearly identify themselves during operations conducted in an official capacity.
She voiced her concerns over the fears these unknown people invoke among the city’s residents. These fears arise when local residents see vehicles roaming the streets, from which armed individuals jump out to pull people onto the pavement.
ICE director Todd Lyons stands by his officers wearing masks. He believes they serve as necessary safety measures, particularly to protect the officers themselves and their families from potential threats. The director felt remorse for those distressed by the officers wearing masks, but insisted on their safety above everything else.
Addressing the way these agents dress, Lyons stated it was a decision made so as not to compromise their presence while carrying out an arrest. Seemingly ordinary street clothes were chosen as the attire of choice for such operations. Numerous raids have been conducted in Southern California in the past few weeks by ICE, Border Patrol and Homeland Security Investigations agents.
An Assistant Secretary from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) defended the actions of enforcement officers. He clearly stated that while conducting operations, they readily identify themselves as law enforcement personnel and wear masks as protection against possible dangers.
The DHS officer also highlighted an unfortunate reality, expressing that condemnation and attacks targeted against law enforcement are causing our officers to experience a large surge in assaults. On the agents’ end, he mentioned that when they are on duty, they make a point to verbally and visually identify themselves to prevent any misunderstanding.
Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell spoke to the Board of Police Commissioners. He confirmed that officers are very anxious about the potential for confusion between local and federal law enforcement, as well as concern from the community over whether these undercover agents are actual federal agents or possible frauds.
In conclusion, residents are encouraged to make a call to 911 if they ever find themselves uncertain about the identity of the person they are dealing with. The objective remains to ensure that those claiming to be law enforcement officers are indeed who they claim. The underlying aim of local law enforcement officers is clear: to work closely with residents and protect them while handling complaints at an agency level and dealing with challenging situations during these uncertain times.
The post Unmarked Federal Agents Detain Suspected Unauthorized Immigrants in Southern California appeared first on Real News Now.
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