Father detained by ICE agents at California gas station; children left in truck, advocates say
The Brief
Immigrant rights advocates are sounding the alarm after two children were left behind when their father was reportedly detained by ICE agents in Ventura County.
A witness told 805 UndocuFund, a local advocacy group, several cars showed up and took the man into custody quickly.
The children were later picked up by a sister, advocates said.
Two children were reportedly left behind after their father was detained at a gas station in Ventura County, according to a local advocacy group.
What we know
The incident happened on May 4 around 9:30 a.m. at the Sinclair gas station located at the intersection of Ventura Road and Wooley Boulevard in Oxnard, as reported by 805 UndocuFund, a coalition of nonprofit organizations supporting immigrants in California's Central Coast.
A gas station attendant, Juan Conches, shared what he witnessed with the group in a video posted to their Instagram page.
According to Conches, a man arrived at the gas station for fuel, and while he was pumping gas, "at least six" vehicles showed up and quickly surrounded him.
"They arrested someone," Conches said. "They left the children inside the truck."
SUGGESTED: Chaotic video shows neighbors trying to stop ICE from detaining mother
The coalition identified the children as a minor and another reportedly 19-years-old, but "old enough to be alone but unable to drive, stranded, and powerless to leave."
"They told me they took him. I then asked if I could move the truck to free up the pump. That's it. I moved the truck with the kids inside and parked it in the front. They let me know they called their sister to pick them up," Conches said in the video.
ICE and the Department of Homeland Security have not publicly responded to inquiries about the man's reported arrest.
SUGGESTED: Teen boy 1 of 3 killed in alleged human smuggling attempt near San Diego: 5 Mexican nationals charged
What we don't know
The identity of the man who was reportedly arrested was not released.
It's unclear why he was detained.
Local perspective
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents began targeting major sanctuary cities immediately after President Donald Trump's inauguration, including Los Angeles, Chicago, and Atlanta.
Since then, international students, alleged gang members, even American citizens in some cases and visa holders have been stopped at airports, detained for days, or face deportation for minor infractions.
SUGGESTED: Trump administration offers to pay migrants $1,000 to leave US
Several such cases have occurred across Southern California.
Last month, Andry Hernandez Romero, a gay Venezuelan makeup artist, was deported to El Salvador and is detained in a dangerous prison, raising concerns about human rights violations. Activists say the deportation is a severe violation of human rights, calling it a "death sentence" due to the prison's harsh conditions and lack of protections for LGBTQ+ individuals.
A week before that, a raid was conducted outside a Home Depot in Pomona. Between 15 and 20 day laborers were detained. U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston emphasized that such actions violate the Fourth Amendment, which protects immigrant workers, including day laborers and farmworkers.
In another case, an Orange County couple with no criminal history who had lived in the U.S. for 35 years were deported to Colombia in March.
Big picture view
During his first week in office, Trump signed 10 executive orders on immigration and issued a slew of edicts to carry out promises of mass deportations and border security.
Trump expanded arrest priorities to anyone in the country illegally, not just people with criminal convictions, public safety or national security threats and migrants stopped at the border.
SUGGESTED: Andry Hernandez Romero: Gay asylum seeker deported to prison built for gang members prompts outcry in WeHo
The administration also ended a policy to avoid arrests at "sensitive locations," including schools, hospitals and places of worship. It said it may deport people who entered the country legally on parole, a presidential authority that former President Joe Biden used more than any president.
It also threatened to punish "sanctuary" jurisdictions that limit cooperation with federal immigration authorities.
A poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research finds that immigration is a relative high point for Trump compared with other issues, including his approach to the economy, foreign policy and trade negotiations. Slightly fewer than half of U.S. adults, 46%, say they approve of Trump's handling of the issue, compared with his overall job approval rating of 39%, according to the survey.
SUGGESTED: Trump signs executive order directing feds to list so-called sanctuary cities
The Source
Information for this story is from 805 UndocuFund and the Associated Press.
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