New immigration crackdown sparks fear among public transit riders. Ridership has dropped up to 15%

Reports of federal agents detaining commuters sitting at a bus stop in Pasadena this week have heightened concerns about immigration officials targeting public transportation — a key aspect of city life — in their efforts to carry out deportations across Southern California.
For the thousands of Angelenos, many of whom are Latino and rely on the city's vast network of buses and trains to go about their daily lives, the incident in Pasadena has brought a new level of fear and uncertainty for public transportation riders.
After June 6, when immigration agents launched a campaign in Los Angeles to find and capture undocumented immigrants, some residents have started to go underground, staying away from work, school, churches and other public venues for fear of being swept up in a raid.
Now, as many attempt to resume their daily routines, buses and trains have become yet another place to fear. There has been a 10% to 15% decline in bus and rail ridership since immigration enforcement activities began, according to Metro officials.
'The way that ICE is going about these sweeps is terrifying people,' Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn said in a statement on Wednesday. 'This isn't right. The fear they are spreading is doing profound harm in our communities.'
While rumors have swirled online about immigration officials' presence at bus stops and along rail lines for weeks, the most visible example happened early Wednesday when a group of masked immigration officers approached two men sitting at a bus stop outside the Winchell's Donut House on Los Robles Avenue in Pasadena.
After a brief conversation, an officer is seen on video handcuffing one of the men. Officials said a total of six Pasadena residents were detained.
The bus stop for Route 662, roughly a block away from an elementary school, is near several Latino businesses in an area of the city known for Mexican eateries. Workers in the area frequently grab coffee and breakfast at the doughnut shop before heading to work. The incident was witnessed and videotaped by several people in the area.
Another video of the incident showed a witness bending down behind an unmarked vehicle — reportedly belonging to federal agents — trying to get a photo of the license plate. The footage shows a masked man exit the driver's side and rush toward the back of the vehicle, pointing a gun at the witness who retreated quickly to the sidewalk.
'Leave our city!' one resident screamed at the masked man. As other witnesses started to approach the vehicle with their phones out, the driver activated the car's lights and siren and sped off.
While the early morning sweep was just one of several that immigration officials carried out in Pasadena on Wednesday, the arrests and viral video drew vocal criticism.
'This is lawlessness,' state Sen. Sasha Renée Pérez (D-Alhambra) said of the raid in a video statement on X. 'This is completely inappropriate. This is an incredibly dangerous way to operate. Somebody is going to get seriously hurt ...'
Rep. Judy Chu (D-Monterey Park), whose district includes Pasadena, called the situation 'outrageous.'
'These raids in my district are absolutely vile. Masked and armed like a militia, they're terrorizing families and destroying any sense of safety in our communities. This is not law enforcement it's a gross abuse of power, and I will not stand for it,' Chu wrote in a statement.
Pasadena public information officer Lisa Derderian said city officials are still trying to determine who got out of the unmarked car and pointed the gun since a search of the license plate by the city came up empty and no identification could be seen in footage.
The situation prompted the city to increase its law enforcement presence outside schools and around bus stops, she said.
'We have an obligation to protect our community. Obviously, we don't want too heavy of a presence to look like we are coordinating or interfering with any federal enforcement. But again, we do have an obligation to protect,' Derderian said.
Many rail and bus riders use public transit out of necessity and may not have access to alternative transportation, said Michael Schneider of the Streets for All advocacy group.
A 2023 Metro survey showed that more than 60% of bus riders and roughly 50% of rail riders are Latinx/Hispanic. And nearly 90% of bus riders and more than 70% of rail riders' annual household income is less than $50,000.
'For most people that ride Metro … the household income is extremely low,' Schneider said. 'They are riding the bus because that is the way they get to and from work, and that's the way they get around. They don't have a car at home, they don't have another option.'
Metro has been working to build back public trust and grow ridership following a spate of violence on bus and trains in recent years.
Employees and regulars at Union Station said on Thursday that they have noticed a slight downturn in foot traffic in recent weeks.
'There's less passengers than normal,' said Johnathan Aros, a security guard at the station. 'I wouldn't say it's significant, but it's different.'
Hahn, who also serves as the Metro board chair, asked Metro staff on Wednesday to report back to the board about the agency's protocols if immigration agents board a bus or a train.
Earlier this year, as immigration enforcement grew across the country, Hahn directed Metro staff to partner with L.A. County's Office of Immigration Affairs and amplify ongoing 'Know Your Rights' campaigns to support immigrant riders and inform them of their protections when dealing with law enforcement.
'Now more than ever, it is essential that our public transit system serves as a safe and inclusive space for everyone,' Hahn wrote in a letter to Metro Chief Executive Stephanie Wiggins. 'Sharing critical information and campaigns that educate our riders about their rights, specifically in relation to ICE and law enforcement interactions, is a powerful tool that could help alleviate the anxiety that many of our immigrant communities are experiencing.'
On Thursday morning, as the Metro bus cruised over the L.A. River toward downtown — where widespread protests and immigration raids erupted earlier this month — riders wearing various retail and food service uniforms sat silently staring straight ahead. A quiet tension on the nearly full bus was palpable.
A Boyle Heights woman riding the bus said she's grown more weary of public transportation since the raids began, but like many others she's left with few options to get to work.
'Some people are scared, but they have to work,' said the woman, who asked that she not be identified because she's concerned she'll be targeted by immigration officials. 'There's work no matter what.'
Yomara Oxlha, who works at a general store in Boyle Heights across from a bus stop, said a quiet distrust of public services had spread in the community.
'I've seen videos of bus drivers saying that ICE is inside [buses],' Oxlha said. 'Let's say if I'm an immigrant, and [ICE] goes inside supermarkets, they go inside the buses, the trains and they go inside stores … I wouldn't feel comfortable going out at all.'
Oxlha said Boyle Heights has been quiet since the raids began on June 6. Now, left with few alternatives to support their families, many have started to fearfully resume their schedules.
Sophia, a Boyle's Height resident, waited patiently on Thursday at the bus stop she has taken nearly every day for years. The woman, who declined to provide her last name out of fear she could be targeted by immigration officials, told The Times in Spanish that she's become more acutely aware of her surroundings.
For nearly a week, Sophia hesitated to leave her home and her family has lived in a constant state of uncertainty. But now, she must finally get back to her normal schedule, she said.
'The fear of going out to look for a dream is now a nightmare,' Sophia said in Spanish. 'It's very sad this is all happening.'
Staff writer Rong-Gong Lin II contributed to this report.

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Los Angeles Times

22 minutes ago

• Los Angeles Times

Community leaders petition Dodgers ‘to take a public stand' against ICE raids in L.A.

More than 50 community and religious leaders from around Los Angeles signed a petition Friday that called on the Dodgers 'to take a public stand against the indiscriminate ICE raids which are causing immense terror in our communities, hurting businesses, and separating families.' 'This is the moment for the Dodgers to stand with the families whom masked agents are tearing apart,' read the letter, which was signed by religious officials, labor leaders and immigrant-rights activists, and addressed to Dodgers owner Mark Walter. 'If these truly are OUR beloved Los Angeles Dodgers, we need you, more than ever, to stand with us, immigrants and non-immigrants alike. Stand with all of us.' The petition, which was organized by faith-based community organizing network PICO California, came a day after the Dodgers postponed what was scheduled to be their first public comment regarding the immigration raids that have swept through the city over the last two weeks. On Thursday, the club had been preparing to announce their plans for assistance to immigrant communities impacted by the recent events in the city, a team spokesperson told The Times this week. But then, federal immigration agents showed up at Dodger Stadium on Thursday morning, attempting to access the ballpark's parking lots in an apparent effort to use them as a processing site for people who had been arrested in a nearby immigration raid. The Dodgers denied the agents entry to the grounds, according to the team, but the resulting fallout prompted their planned announcement to be delayed. 'Because of the events earlier today, we continue to work with groups that were involved with our programs,' team president Stan Kasten said. 'But we are going to have to delay today's announcement while we firm up some more details. We'll get back to you soon with the timing.' Friday's petition implored the club to not wait any longer, asking the team to: A news release announcing the letter also promoted a public petition campaign for fans to sign. Many of the signatories of Friday's petition were local church leaders, including the bishops of the Methodist California-Pacific Conference and Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles. 'For generations, Angelenos have prayed their Dodgers on through good times and bad,' John Harvey Taylor, the Episcopal bishop, said in a statement. 'Dodgers security were champions this weekend. We pray that the Dodgers will stand with their fans, and their friends and family, who are at risk from these cruel workplace raids.' The petition was also signed by representatives from more than 20 community advocacy groups, including the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights and National Day Laborer Organizing Network; as well as labor leaders from local teacher unions and the Service Employees International Union, among others. 'We love the Dodgers not only because they are champions, but even more because they are the team of Jackie Robinson, of Fernando Valenzuela, of Kiké Hernandez — baseball players who have helped bend the moral arc of the universe towards justice,' Joseph Tomás McKellar, executive director of the PICO California organization that organized the petition, said in a statement. 'This is a moment when the Dodgers, a beloved family and cultural institution for 67 years, can take a moral stand and make an impact on the lives of vulnerable families in our region. Families are sacred.' The Dodgers — which, the petition notes, has a roughly 40% Latino fan base — had been under increased public pressure in recent days to address the immigration raids happening around the city. Last weekend, they received backlash when singer and social media personality Nezza performed a Spanish-language version of the national anthem at a game, in an act of protest against the raids, despite being asked by a club employee to sing it in English. Stadium security officials have also been seen cracking down on anti-ICE signage that some fans have tried to display around the ballpark recently. And this week, some fans on social media began to call for a protest against the team on Saturday. The Dodgers are still expected to unveil their plans to assist local immigrant communities in the near future. If not for Thursday's unexpected encounter with federal immigration agents, it might have already happened by now. But instead, they have yet to break their silence on the issue. And on Friday, community leaders turned up the public pressure to do so.

Axios

28 minutes ago

• Axios

LA Dodgers weighing how to help immigrants after barring ICE agents from grounds

The Los Angeles Dodgers said U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents were denied access to parking lots outside Dodger Stadium on Thursday amid ongoing immigrant protests in the city. Why it matters: The reigning World Series champions had come under criticism earlier this month for failing to speak out against ICE raids in LA and for unsuccessfully pressuring a singer not to perform a Spanish version of the national anthem at a Dodgers game. The big picture: Latino fans — especially Mexican Americans — comprise a large percentage of the Dodgers' fan base, a trend that has been ongoing since the late 1980s, when Mexican-born left-handed pitcher Fernando Valenzuela played for the team. The initial lack of response from the Dodgers has angered many Latino fans who have protested outside the stadium and posted social media photos of ICE and Border Patrol agents near the Dodgers' grounds. Other LA-area professional teams, including LAFC and Angel City FC, issued statements about "fear and uncertainty" being felt throughout the city. Catch up quick: The Dodgers announced on Thursday that they refused to grant ICE access around the stadium before their game with the San Diego Padres, another team with a large Mexican American fan base. "This morning, ICE agents came to Dodger Stadium and requested permission to access the parking lots. They were denied entry to the grounds by the organization. Tonight's game will be played as scheduled," the Dodgers posted on X. That stalled the Dodgers' planned announcement Thursday about how the organization will assist Los Angeles' immigrant communities. "Because of the events earlier (Thursday), we continue to work with groups that were involved with our programs, but we are going to have to delay (Thursday's) announcement while we firm up some more details,'' team president Stan Kasten said in a statement per KABC-TV. Yes, but: ICE denied on X that agents were at Dodger Stadium. "False. We were never there," ICE posted. "This had nothing to do with the Dodgers. CBP vehicles were in the stadium parking lot very briefly, unrelated to any operation or enforcement," the Department of Homeland Security also posted on X. "This had nothing to do with the Dodgers. CBP vehicles were in the stadium parking lot very briefly, unrelated to any operation or enforcement," DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told Axios. Between the lines: The Dodgers' "LA" logo on its cap has long been a source of pride among Latino fans and West Coast hip hop artists. As the protests broke out in Los Angeles, the LA Dodgers logo was spotted on protest signs next to Mexican flags. Zoom out: Until the team statements, only Dodgers star Kiké Hernández, who is Puerto Rican, took to Instagram to express his support for the city's immigrants. "I cannot stand to see our community being violated, profiled, abused and ripped apart. ALL people deserve to be treated with respect, dignity and human rights," he wrote. The intrigue: A group of activists, faith and labor leaders sent the Dodgers a petition on Friday, urging the team to speak out more. "Of the $752 million the Dodgers earn in revenue, an estimated $300 million is provided by Latino families -- 40% of the fan base," the petition said. "That is why we implore you to take a public stand against the indiscriminate ICE raids which are causing immense terror in our communities, hurting small businesses, and separating families." What they're saying: " Dodgers security were champions this weekend. We pray that the Dodgers will stand with their fans, and their friends and family, who are at risk from these cruel workplace raids," Bishop John Harvey Taylor of the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles said in a statement. "This is a moment when the Dodgers, a beloved family and cultural institution for 67 years, can take a moral stand and make an impact on the lives of vulnerable families in our region. Families are sacred," Joseph Tomás McKellar, PICO California executive director, said.

Los Angeles Times

39 minutes ago

• Los Angeles Times

What the Dodgers can learn from Angel City about community

So that's why they're called the Dodgers. For the better part of the last two weeks, the Los Angeles baseball franchise has evaded calls from fans begging that it speak up and show support for communities terrorized by ongoing immigration raids taking place across the Southland. When thousands of Angelenos took to the streets for a series of protests, the Dodgers buried their heads in the sandlot and pretended the unrest wasn't happening. 'We're not going to comment,' Dodgers executive vice president and chief marketing officer Lon Rosen told my colleague Dylan Hernández, who included the quote in a scathing column published Saturday morning in which he accused the team of cowardice and letting down their Latino fan base. But as the team found out later that evening, the issue was not going to go away. Before the start of Saturday night's game against the San Francisco Giants, Nezza performed 'El Pendón Estrellado,' a Spanish-language version of 'The Star-Spangled Banner' commissioned by the State Department in 1945 and composed by Clotilde Arias. In a TikTok video uploaded on Sunday, the 30-year-old L.A.-based pop singer, whose real name is Vanessa Hernández, revealed that she sang the national anthem in Spanish against the team's wishes. She also claimed that the Dodgers banned her from the stadium, an assertion the club denies. The incident became national news by Monday, and the Dodgers came out looking like a franchise that only cares about its Latino fans when it's trying to make money off of them. On Wednesday, after initially saying that they would not be commenting, a team spokesperson told my colleague Jack Harris that the Dodgers were working on a plan to assist immigrant communities, and that they would announce the specifics soon. (As I write this, the team has not yet unveiled what said plans are.) On Thursday morning, the Department of Homeland Security brought the immigration debate to the team's doorstep after several federal agents were spotted near a Dodger Stadium parking lot gate. Rumors spread on social media that the team had allowed ICE agents to use their parking lot as a staging area. Hours later, the Dodgers took to social media to clarify that no such thing had transpired. 'This morning, ICE agents came to Dodger Stadium and requested permission to access the parking lots. They were denied entry to the grounds by the organization. Tonight's game will be played as scheduled,' the statement said. In response, DHS said that the agents were not with ICE, but with the Customs and Border Protection — the department oversees both agencies. That people believed the Dodgers were collaborating with ICE shows you just how much trust they have lost with fans — on Thursday night, protesters gathered outside the stadium and some of the anger appeared to be directed at the club. The team's inaction over the last two weeks should be used in crisis management classes as an example of what not to do. It was a self-inflicted wound, and it didn't have to play out that way. Just look at what the Angel City Football Club did. On June 7, the day after the start of the immigration raids, the National Women's Soccer League franchise released a pro-immigrant statement on X. 'We are heartbroken by the fear and uncertainty our Los Angeles community are feeling right now,' it read. 'At Angel City, we believe in the power of belonging. We know that our city is stronger because of its diversity and the people and families who shape it, love it, and call it home.' It wasn't an empty gesture. The following week, ahead of Saturday's match against the North Carolina Courage, Angel City players and coaches walked on to the pitch donning black shirts with 'Immigrant City Football Club' emblazoned in the front, and 'Los Angeles is for everyone/Los Ángeles es Para Todos' written on the back. In addition to distributing them to fans in attendance, Angel City has been selling the shirts from its team store, with net proceeds going to the nonprofit Camino Immigration Services. 'The statement was the beginning. The statement was our way of making sure that our fans, our players, our staff felt seen in that moment,' Chris Fajardo, Angel City's vice president of community, told Times soccer writer Kevin Baxter. 'The next piece was, I think, true to Angel City. Not just talking the talk but walking the walk.' It's a lesson the Dodgers ought to learn. At some point in the last week, the topic of pro-immigrant and Latin music protest songs came up on the De Los team Slack channel. I asked the team to send me some of their favorite tracks, and a brief description about why they picked it. Here's what they said. 'The Battle of Los Angeles' by Rage Against the Machine – As Angelenos take the streets to defend the city's immigrant communities, this classic 1999 rap metal album feels more relevant than ever. Born in Long Beach to Mexican American parents, Rage frontman Zack de la Rocha wasn't a prophet so much as he was a student of history — which he illustrated with righteous fury in songs like the Grammy-winning 'Guerilla Radio' and 'Sleep Now in the Fire.' —Suzy Exposito 'Latinoamérica' by Calle 13 – This song is an ode to the strife and joy that simultaneously permeates across the Americas; it's an affirmation that its land, and its people, will never be crushed by unforeseeable forces. Layered with powerful chants by Afro-Peruvian folklore singer Susana Baca, Afro-Colombian singer Totó la Momposina and Brazilian singer Maria Rita, 'Latinoamérica' is a timeless fight song that marches in step with the pulsing heartbeat of Latin America. —Andrea Flores 'Clandestino' by Manu Chao – Multilingual reggae rocker Manu Chao was born in Paris to Spanish parents who fled the Franco regime; as a result, he felt called to promote the rights of refugees and migrants all over the world. His 1998 song 'Clandestino' would become a global anthem for the undocumented. —Elana Szczepanski 'Tres Veces Mojado' by Los Tigres Del Norte – The song reflects on the difficult and dangerous journey of an immigrant crossing borders — and the challenges of being seen as an outsider in other Latin American countries. —Lupe Llerenas 'Invalid Litter Dept.' by At the Drive-In – This Texas post-hardcore band was founded in El Paso, but their eyes were cast across the border, in the neighboring Ciudad Juárez, where hundreds of Mexican women went to work in factories and never returned home. In confronting the Mexican government for its failure to prevent the femicides, the band also challenges a culture in which commerce is valued more than the lives of the workers who keep it running. —S.E. 'La Carencia' by Panteón Rococó – 'La carencia' translates to 'the lack' — and as such, the song captures the lack of opportunities given to the working class in a globalizing world. —Anthony Solorzano 'Pa'l Norte' - Calle 13 ft. Orishas – A vibrant song celebrating the strength and resilience of immigrants who've traveled far from home for better lives, while acknowledging the sacrifices and injustices they face. —L.L. 'El Mojado' by Ricardo Arjona – A poetic reflection on the experience of being undocumented, working hard and still not belonging where you are. —L.L. 'Gimme Tha Power' by Molotov – Criticizing government corruption is always timely, no matter which administration or time period. Mexico City band Molotov decry state agents who extort the same communities that pay their salaries, and make a plea for power to be returned to the people. — Carlos De Loera 'La Jaula de Oro' by Julieta Venegas – Mexican singer Julieta Venegas paid an electronica-infused tribute to the original song by legendary norteño band Los Tigres del Norte, 'La Jaula de Oro,' which translates to 'The Golden Cage.' The song warns immigrants that, while there's much money to be made in the U.S., it can come at a high personal cost. —L.L. 'Al Millón' by Los Dos Carnales – This song embodies a strong sense of pride and resilience, emphasizing staying true to oneself and facing challenges with courage and integrity. The lyrics express a willingness to go 'all in' and not back down. —L.L. 'The Star-Spangled Banner' by José Feliciano – At the zenith of anti-war and counterculture protests throughout the world, Puerto Rican icon José Feliciano performed the national anthem before Game 5 of the 1968 World Series and infused his signature sound to the song. His rendition garnered mixed reactions as some fans booed him at the park — and the New York Times called his take 'controversial.' Really, it's just beautiful. — C.D.L. Trump can command National Guard as California's legal challenge moves forward, appeals court says The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals decided Thursday to leave troops in Los Angeles in the hands of the Trump administration while California's objections are litigated in federal court, finding the president had broad — though not 'unreviewable' — authority to deploy the military in American cities. ICE issued new rules for Congress members visiting detention centers. Experts say they're illegal Members from California, Illinois and New Jersey have been denied access in recent weeks to immigrant detention facilities in their states. Oversight experts say that's a substantial departure from past practice. Jorge Ramos on his new digital series: 'I have a few pending battles left' Six months after leaving TelevisaUnivision, the renowned Mexican journalist turns to social media programming with 'Así Veo las Cosas.' From ICE raids and spirituality to babysitting, 'Trans Los Angeles' examines life in the city 'Trans Los Angeles' film director Kase Peña and star Carmen Carrera talk about authentic portrayals of the trans community, and the financial challenges that come with making an independent feature. 'It's a risk to come to work': Terror and a touch of desperation in L.A. Around certain immigrant hubs, The Times found that daily life had been significantly altered because of the fear and panic around the ongoing immigration raids. South L.A. mother deports herself to Mexico amid Trump's immigration crackdown, family says A South Los Angeles mother deported herself last week to Mexico after living in the U.S. for 36 years, according to her family. Video shows military-style vehicle in what witnesses say was a Compton immigration raid A military-style vehicle was used in an immigration raid in Compton on June 9, according to witnesses and video of the incident. Immigrant protests, unrest in L.A. reverberate in Mexico News coverage of the immigration raids and protests in Southern California has transfixed Mexico, where reports have heavily sided with the immigrants against U.S. efforts to detain and deport them. 18 immigrant-founded restaurants in L.A. from our Hall of Fame list Immigrant cuisines form the backbone of L.A.'s food scenes. Here are 18 spots to support from the Times' Hall of Fame guide. Protesters are chasing federal agents out of L.A. County hotels: 'A small victory' In hotels across L.A. County, federal immigration agents come face-to-face with a public that is often highly critical of their enforcement actions. Farms, hotels and restaurants press Trump to exempt their businesses from immigration raids As confusion swirls around whether Trump will exempt farms and other businesses from immigration raids, businesses are emphasizing the importance of their immigrant workforce. ICE flights out of L.A. area more than doubled in the last month A majority of the ICE flights departing Victorville were headed to airports near detention centers in Arizona and Texas. Bad Bunny calls out ICE for conducting raids in Puerto Rico In a recent Instagram video, Bad Bunny criticized ICE agents for continuing to conduct raids in his native Puerto Rico. 'Real Women Have Curves: The Musical' bows out of Broadway The Boyle Heights-inspired production will close out its final performance on June 29, less than two months from its official spring debut. Diego Luna says Hollywood offered him only drug dealer roles before 'Star Wars' During a roundtable discussion with the Hollywood Reporter, the 'Andor' star spoke candidly about his career before taking on the Empire.