Many Americans are witnessing immigration arrests for the first time and reacting
Melyssa Rivas poses for a photo at a location where she witnessed masked federal agents detaining a person earlier this month outside Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church in Downey, Calif., on Friday, June 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
SAN DIEGO — Adam Greenfield was home nursing a cold when his girlfriend raced in to tell him Immigration and Customs Enforcement vehicles were pulling up in their trendy San Diego neighborhood.
The author and podcast producer grabbed his iPhone and bolted out the door barefoot, joining a handful of neighbors recording masked agents raiding a popular Italian restaurant nearby, as they yelled at the officers to leave. An hour later, the crowd had grown to nearly 75 people, with many in front of the agents' vehicles.
'I couldn't stay silent,' Greenfield said. 'It was literally outside of my front door.'
More Americans are witnessing people being hauled off as they shop, exercise at the gym, dine out and otherwise go about their daily lives as U.S. President Donald Trump's administration aggressively works to increase immigration arrests. As the raids touch the lives of people who aren't immigrants themselves, many Americans who rarely, if ever, participated in civil disobedience are rushing out to record the actions on their phones and launch impromptu protests.
Arrests are being made outside gyms, busy restaurants
Greenfield said on the evening of the May 30 raid, the crowd included grandparents, retired military members, hippies, and restaurant patrons arriving for date night. Authorities threw flash bangs to force the crowd back and then drove off with four detained workers, he said.
'To do this, at 5 o'clock, right at the dinner rush, right on a busy intersection with multiple restaurants, they were trying to make a statement,' Greenfield said. 'But I don't know if their intended point is getting across the way they want it to. I think it is sparking more backlash.'
Previously, many arrests happened late at night or in the pre-dawn hours by agents waiting outside people's homes as they left for work or outside their work sites when they finished their day. When ICE raided another popular restaurant in San Diego in 2008, agents did it in the early morning without incident.
White House border czar Tom Homan has said agents are being forced to make more arrests in communities because of sanctuary policies that limit cooperation with ICE in certain cities and states. ICE enforces immigration laws nationwide but seeks state and local help in alerting federal authorities of immigrants wanted for deportation and holding that person until federal officers take custody.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance, during a visit to Los Angeles on Friday, said those policies have given agents 'a bit of a morale problem because they've had the local government in this community tell them that they're not allowed to do their job.'
'When that Border Patrol agent goes out to do their job, they said within 15 minutes they have protesters, sometimes violent protesters who are in their face obstructing them,' he said.
'It was like a scene out of a movie'
Melyssa Rivas had just arrived at her office in the Los Angeles suburb of Downey, California one morning last week when she heard the frightened screams of young women. She went outside to find the women confronting nearly a dozen masked federal agents who had surrounded a man kneeling on the pavement.
'It was like a scene out of a movie,' Rivas said. 'They all had their faces covered and were standing over this man who was clearly traumatized. And there are these young girls screaming at the top of their lungs.'
As Rivas began recording the interaction, a growing group of neighbors shouted at the agents to leave the man alone. They eventually drove off in vehicles, without detaining him, video shows.
Rivas spoke to the man afterward, who told her the agents had arrived at the car wash where he worked that morning, then pursued him as he fled on his bicycle. It was one of several recent workplace raids in the majority-Latino city.
The same day, federal agents were seen at a Home Depot, a construction site and an LA Fitness gym. It wasn't immediately clear how many people had been detained.
'Everyone is just rattled,' said Alex Frayde, an employee at LA Fitness who said he saw the agents outside the gym and stood at the entrance, ready to turn them away as another employee warned customers about the sighting. In the end, the agents never came in.
Communities protest around ICE buildings
Arrests at immigration courts and other ICE buildings have also prompted emotional scenes as masked agents have turned up to detain people going to routine appointments and hearings.
In the city of Spokane in eastern Washington state, hundreds of people rushed to protest outside an ICE building June 11 after former city councilor Ben Stuckart posted on Facebook. Stuckart wrote that he was a legal guardian of a Venezuelan asylum seeker who went to check in at the ICE building, only to be detained. His Venezuelan roommate was also detained.
Both men had permission to live and work in the U.S. temporarily under humanitarian parole, Stuckart told The Associated Press.
'I am going to sit in front of the bus,' Stuckart wrote, referring to the van that was set to transport the two men to an ICE detention center in Tacoma. 'The Latino community needs the rest of our community now. Not tonight, not Saturday, but right now!!!!'
The city of roughly 230,000 is the seat of Spokane County, where just over half of voters cast ballots for Trump in the 2024 presidential election.
Stuckart was touched to see his mother's caregiver among the demonstrators.
'She was just like, 'I'm here because I love your mom, and I love you, and if you or your friends need help, then I want to help,'' he said through tears.
By evening, the Spokane Police Department sent over 180 officers, with some using pepper balls, to disperse protesters. Over 30 people were arrested, including Stuckart who blocked the transport van with others. He was later released.
Aysha Mercer, a stay-at-home mother of three, said she is 'not political in any way, shape or form.' But many children in her Spokane neighborhood — who play in her yard and jump on her trampoline — come from immigrant families, and the thought of them being affected by deportations was 'unacceptable,' she said.
She said she wasn't able to go to Stuckart's protest. But she marched for the first time in her life on June 14, joining millions in 'No Kings' protests across the country.
'I don't think I've ever felt as strongly as I do right this here second,' she said.
Offenhartz reported from Los Angeles and Rush from Portland, Oregon.
Julie Watson, Jake Offenhartz And Claire Rush, The Associated Press
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Globe and Mail
an hour ago
- Globe and Mail
President Trump's Plan to End Taxes on Overtime Pay Could Become Reality Sooner Than You Think
President Trump made a lot of attention-grabbing promises during his campaign for a second term, and in his five months since retaking office, he's met with varying degrees of success in enacting them. Ending taxes on Social Security benefits, for example, appears no nearer than it was on Trump's first day in office. But he's made considerable headway with some of his other agenda items, including ending taxes on overtime pay. We could see this enacted yet this year, but there are still some important details to be ironed out. The "One, Big, Beautiful Bill" could end taxes on overtime as soon as this year House Republicans recently drafted the "One, Big, Beautiful Bill" that incorporates several of President Trump's key campaign promises, like an end to taxes on tips and overtime pay. It would create an above-the-line deduction for these items, so you wouldn't owe any income taxes on them. The House version of the bill clarifies that the tax deduction for overtime pay would apply only to overtime compensation that is paid to an individual in excess of the regular rate they receive for their work. This deduction wouldn't be available to highly compensated employees (HCEs) and those without a work-eligible Social Security number. The bill narrowly passed the House, and lawmakers initially hoped it would make it to the president's desk by July 4, 2025. But the Senate is determined to make its mark on the legislation as well, and at least some senators, like Ron Johnson (R-WI), feel the July 4 deadline isn't realistic. The Senate is already making changes The Senate's version of the "One, Big, Beautiful Bill" isn't finalized yet, but we've already had a peek at some of the changes it hopes to make. While the general idea of no taxes on overtime pay remains in the latest version of the bill, the Senate has added one important restriction. The tax deduction for overtime pay would be limited to $12,500 per person or $25,000 for married couples filing a joint return. While this should be adequate for most people, it may be disappointing if you earn a lot of money from overtime. The House version of the bill didn't have any restrictions on the overtime tax deduction. There are also income phaseouts that reduce the deduction by $100 for every $1,000 your modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) exceeds $150,000 for a single adult or $300,000 for a married couple. Individuals with MAGIs of $275,000 or more and married couples with MAGIs of $550,000 or more wouldn't be eligible to claim the deduction. It's not a done deal yet Senate Republicans can only afford to lose three Republican votes if they want the bill to pass, and right now, there are several who are voicing concerns about the bill in its current state. This means that it likely won't be passed in the next couple of weeks at least. There isn't a vote scheduled currently. If it does pass, the overtime tax deduction will take effect for the 2025 tax year, according to the current bill. However, it would only remain in place through the 2028 tax year. After that, it would be up to lawmakers to decide whether to continue the deduction or not. The $23,760 Social Security bonus most retirees completely overlook If you're like most Americans, you're a few years (or more) behind on your retirement savings. But a handful of little-known "Social Security secrets" could help ensure a boost in your retirement income. One easy trick could pay you as much as $23,760 more... each year! Once you learn how to maximize your Social Security benefits, we think you could retire confidently with the peace of mind we're all after. Join Stock Advisor to learn more about these strategies.
CTV News
2 hours ago
- CTV News
Mahmoud Khalil vows to continue protesting Israel's war in Gaza after coming back home
Mahmoud Khalil, second from left, alongside Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, prepares to speak at a news conference upon arriving at Newark International Airport, Saturday, June 21, 2025, in Newark, N.J. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig) NEWARK, N.J. — A Palestinian activist who was detained for more than three months pushed his infant son's stroller with one hand and cheered on his supporters as they welcomed him home Saturday. Mahmoud Khalil greeted friends and spoke briefly to reporters Saturday at New Jersey's Newark International Airport a day after leaving a federal immigration facility in Louisiana. A former Columbia University graduate student and symbol of U.S. President Donald Trump 's clampdown on campus protests, he vowed to continue protesting Israel's war in Gaza. 'The U.S. government is funding this genocide, and Columbia University is investing in this genocide,' he said. 'This is why I will continue to protest with everyone of you. Not only if they threaten me with detention. Even if they would kill me, I would still speak up for Palestine.' Khalil, a legal U.S. resident whose wife gave birth during his 104 days of detention, said he also will speak up for the immigrants he left behind in the detention center. 'Whether you are a citizen, an immigrant, anyone in this land, you're not illegal. That doesn't make you less of a human,' he said. The 30-year-old international affairs student wasn't accused of breaking any laws during the protests at Columbia. However, the government has said noncitizens who participate in such demonstrations should be expelled from the U.S. for expressing views the administration considers to be antisemitic and 'pro-Hamas,' referring to the Palestinian militant group that attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. Khalil was released after U.S. District Judge Michael Farbiarz said it would be 'highly, highly unusual' for the government to continue detaining a legal U.S. resident who was unlikely to flee and hadn't been accused of any violence. The government filed notice Friday evening that it is appealing Khalil's release. Joining Khalil at the airport, U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York said his detention violated the First Amendment and was 'an affront to every American.' 'He has been accused, baselessly, of horrific allegations simply because the Trump administration and our overall establishment disagrees with his political speech,' she said. 'The Trump administration knows that they are waging a losing legal battle,' Ocasio-Cortez added. 'They are violating the law, and they know that they are violating the law.' By Holly Ramer And Aron Ranen. Ramer reported from Concord, New Hampshire.
Globe and Mail
3 hours ago
- Globe and Mail
'Roadblock': Paramount Stock (NASDAQ:PARA) Surges as the Trump Settlement Sputters
As it turns out, entertainment giant Paramount (PARA) was actually fairly close to a deal with President Trump over the 60 Minutes lawsuit. But, when the deal was fairly close, a 'roadblock' emerged and put a halt to the whole matter, at least for now. Investors reacted with surprising strength, and perhaps even more surprising positivity. Paramount shares gained nearly 2.5% in the closing minutes of Friday's trading. Confident Investing Starts Here: The settlement had reached $35 million, reports noted, when Paramount suddenly found itself paralyzed by indecision. That delay caused Trump lawyers to pivot and pull back to their original demand, calling for a $50 million settlement. The biggest problem seems to be that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is also involved in this, and needs to sign off on the merger with Skydance as well. Reports suggested that Paramount brass believes that the FCC's sign-off on the deal needs to be contingent on settling the case, but by like token, the idea that requiring FCC approval as part of the settlement looks a lot like a bribe. Trump's legal team, reports note, has already been clear that the Trump suit and the FCC case are two separate matters. But with outside organizations looking to launch their own lawsuits should the settlement go through, looks may count for more here than anyone expected. South Park Losses Mount Meanwhile, as Paramount faces the prospect of losing South Park exclusivity, it quietly pulled another old episode from the field. The pull this time showed up in the Canadian and Australian markets, reports noted, and this time, featured Butters' Very Own Episode pulled from Paramount+. Why, however, is a bit of a mystery. Several South Park episodes are apparently a bit too spicy for streaming, in retrospect, with around a dozen classic episodes set to be pulled from the catalog and relegated to a 'ban list', reports noted. The reports got stranger as an Australian viewer noted that the Paramount+ listing had been pulled, but the episode could still be watched by watching through Paramount+ on Amazon (AMZN) Prime Video. Is Paramount Stock a Good Buy Right Now? Turning to Wall Street, analysts have a Hold consensus rating on PARA stock based on two Buys, eight Holds and five Sells assigned in the past three months, as indicated by the graphic below. After a 18.62% rally in its share price over the past year, the average PARA price target of $12.08 per share implies 2.23% downside risk. See more PARA analyst ratings Disclosure Disclaimer & Disclosure Report an Issue
