Anxiety over ICE raids heat up Costa Mesa City Hall, as residents call for action

Los Angeles Times

3 days ago

Angst over ICE activity in Costa Mesa reached a boiling point Tuesday, as locals poured into City Hall demanding support and protection for undocumented residents — a viewpoint that prompted backlash from MAGA supporters in the crowd and continually disrupted that night's City Council meeting.
Dozens of people, perhaps drawn by fliers and social media posts soliciting action, sought assurances from city leaders that Costa Mesa police would not collaborate with federal immigration enforcement efforts.
They asked officials to require ICE agents to unmask and identify themselves before initiating a detention and sought the city's support of legal defense funds, rapid response advocacy and mutual aid efforts.
Such actions are already happening in other cities, such as Santa Ana, where officials are calling for a full withdrawal of federal agents, and Huntington Park, where local police arrested a man suspected of impersonating a border patrol agent.
Costa Mesa officials last month issued a statement assuring police and city employees would neither enforce immigration laws nor investigate immigration status. Meanwhile, a new page on the city's website lists resources and local aid organizations offering local assistance.
But dozens of local residents speaking during the public comments portion of Tuesday's meeting urged leaders to take steps to make it safer for Latinos, who've been noticeably absent from the public eye, to return to their normal daily routines, jobs and lives.
'[Racial] profiling is so rampant and unjust, legal residents and U.S. citizens are being rounded up,' said a Costa Mesa woman, who later identified herself as 'Brooke,' one of the people who posted the fliers calling for action.
'I applaud the measures that have already been taken. But, respectfully, that's not enough,' she said. 'This is about justice, dignity and the safety of our community — please act boldly, and act now.'
Many of the people addressing the council were repeatedly disrupted by chants and retorts from a group of audience members wearing 'Make America Great Again' hats and shirts bearing slogans such as 'Donald Trump was Right.'
One member of that cohort was Nick Taurus, who lost a 2022 primary run for the U.S. Assembly's 40th District and is no stranger to political dustups and scuffles of all sorts. The Orange County resident praised the work of ICE agents.
'I think ICE should be allowed to act with impunity — they should be allowed to go to every Home Depot, every school, every quinceañera and build the wall and deport every single one of these guys,' he said, holding up a large American flag. 'Because they don't make our country great, they make it worse, they bring it down, they use public services and Americans are sick and tired of it.'
An ongoing series of verbal volleys between the two factions caused Mayor John Stephens to repeatedly call for order. He asked uniformed Costa Mesa police officers posted inside council chambers to settle the crowd.
At least twice, MAGA supporters were escorted outside City Hall for shouting over others attempting to address the council.
Despite the rhetoric, numerous speakers shared their personal family histories, recalling America's Mexican repatriation, during which Mexicans in the U.S. were deported or displaced for being a perceived economic threat to white Americans, or forebears pursued and persecuted by Nazi and Soviet soldiers during World War II.
'We're in the early stages, but it could get a lot worse,' warned a Costa Mesa resident identifying himself as Jacob, who spoke about his family's imperiled escape to America.
'It's a huge thing in our history less than 100 years ago, and to play willful ignorance to it, it's disheartening. [But] you guys have the power to help your constituents out.'
Many pleaded their cases with help from a translator, including Patricia Aburto Calderilla, who described ICE agents regularly posted on Costa Mesa's Bay Street.
'We're all here, because as you can see we, as everyone has said, we are terrorized,' Calderilla said. 'If you don't put a stop to this, this is going to continue. And what are students going to do? They're going to need to go back to school, and Latino parents are not going to be sending their kids back — moms are scared. You should do something.'
Speaking in their own comments, some council members shared their personal viewpoints, encouraging residents to call 911 if they believe an illegal detention is taking place and sharing support for legislative efforts at the state level to enhance accountability among immigration enforcers.
'These actions are not only alarming, they raise serious questions about due process, constitutional protections and the safety of our community overall,' said Councilmember Andrea Marr. 'What is happening is not just a legal matter, it's a moral one.'
Marr asked that her council colleagues consider passing a resolution in support of a bill that would require agents to provide IDs and prohibit them from wearing masks. She also requested that they consider financially contributing to local assistance organizations or partnering with a group to provide legal aid, ideas seconded by Councilwoman Arlis Reynolds and Mayor Pro Tem Manual Chavez.
Councilmember Loren Gameros castigated the antics of 'fearmongers' in the audience who, before being escorted outside, attempted to dissuade others from speaking.
'Last time I checked, being undocumented wasn't a crime,' he said. 'Raising your family here is not a crime. Taking your kids to school should not be a crime. What I see happening right now creates a long-term problem. I certainly wouldn't want this to be a permanent black eye in our country. I believe it needs to stop and we need to create change.'