More Americans Witnessing First Immigration Raids

SAN DIEGO (2025-06-21 06:54:00) – Adam Greenfield, dealing with a cold, was shocked when his girlfriend announced Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) vehicles were in their neighborhood.

Immigration Raids in American Communities

As ICE ramps up arrests, even those uninvolved with immigration face disruption.

• ICE is increasing immigration arrests, impacting daily life for many Americans.
• Protests and civil disobedience are becoming more common as raids occur in public spaces.
• Some communities are experiencing backlash, with arrests made during peak hours.

President Donald Trump’s administration is aggressively increasing immigration arrests, leading to more Americans witnessing people being detained in everyday settings. The author and podcast producer, grabbing his iPhone, joined neighbors in recording masked agents during a raid on a nearby Italian restaurant.

“I couldn’t stay silent,” Greenfield said. “It was literally outside of my front door.”

On the evening of the May 30 raid, the crowd included grandparents, retired military members, hippies, and restaurant patrons arriving for date night. Authorities used flash bangs to disperse the crowd, and then drove off with four detained workers.

Public Spaces Targeted

flash Bangs: These devices are designed to disorient individuals with a loud noise and shining flash, often used by law enforcement for crowd control.

“To do this,at 5 o’clock,right at the dinner rush,right on a busy intersection with multiple restaurants,thay 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 indeed sparking more backlash.”

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.

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.”

Community Response to Raids

Melyssa Rivas, in the Los Angeles suburb of Downey, California, heard frightened screams last week and found nearly a dozen masked federal agents surrounding a man.”It was like a scene out of a movie,” Rivas said.

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.

Protests Around ICE Buildings

Sanctuary Policies: These are laws, resolutions, or policies adopted by some subnational jurisdictions that aim to limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.

Arrests at immigration courts and other ICE buildings have prompted emotional scenes. In Spokane, Washington, hundreds protested outside an ICE building on June 11 after former city councilor Ben Stuckart posted on Facebook. He 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.

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.

The Role of Local Governments in Immigration Enforcement

The escalating tensions surrounding ICE raids ofen hinge on the complex relationship between federal immigration enforcement and local governments. While the federal government, through ICE, is primarily responsible for enforcing immigration laws, the extent to which local authorities cooperate – or refuse to – plays a crucial role in how these laws are carried out. This dynamic, often shaped by “sanctuary policies,” shapes the landscape of immigration enforcement across the United States.

Sanctuary policies, broadly defined, are measures enacted by cities, counties, or states that limit local law enforcement’s involvement in federal immigration enforcement.These policies can take various forms,including restricting information sharing with ICE,prohibiting local police from asking about an individual’s immigration status,or declining to detain individuals solely on the basis of an ICE detainer request. These policies are often implemented in an effort to foster trust between immigrant communities and law enforcement, encouraging immigrants to report crimes without fear of deportation.

The Impact of Sanctuary Policies

Proponents of sanctuary policies argue that these measures enhance public safety by encouraging cooperation with law enforcement, reduce the fear of deportation among immigrant communities, and allow local resources to be focused on fighting crime. Conversely, opponents argue that sanctuary policies hinder federal law enforcement efforts, possibly allowing dangerous criminals to remain in the country, and undermine the rule of law.

The debate over sanctuary policies has become increasingly politicized, with both sides citing statistics, legal precedents, and anecdotal evidence to support their positions. As mentioned previously [[1]], the White House border czar, Tom homan, has stated that these policies have, in effect, forced agents to increase enforcement in communities because of limited cooperation with ICE.

The role of local authorities in immigration enforcement is a significant legal and ethical question. Local governments have considerable power to shape the practical implementation of immigration laws within their jurisdictions.

The Federal Government’s Perspective

The federal government, especially under the Trump administration and likely future administrations, has often taken a stricter stance against sanctuary policies, even threatening to withhold federal funding from jurisdictions that refuse to cooperate with ICE. these threats, however, have often been challenged in court, with some jurisdictions successfully defending their sanctuary policies based on constitutional grounds.

Navigating the Legal Landscape

The legal landscape surrounding sanctuary policies is complex and ever-evolving. Courts have been asked to weigh the balance of power between federal and local authorities, and to interpret the scope of states’ rights in the context of immigration law. It’s vital to note that specific policies vary,the legal challenges,and also the political dynamics that are playing out in various cities and states across the nation.

Practical Implications for Communities

For communities impacted by ICE raids, understanding the roles of both federal and local authorities is crucial for navigating the situation. Knowing the local laws, and the level of enforcement that is in place provides critically important information. Resources and support systems can assist impacted individuals and families in accessing legal aid, and understanding their rights. Moreover, participating in local political processes is essential to influence local policies that impact immigration enforcement.