ICE presence reported in Coachella Valley but immigration agency mum so far. What we know
This story has been updated into include new information.
Reports of a large presence of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers at locations in Cathedral City and Palm Springs circulated online Friday along with videos and images that appear to show the agency's officers and their vehicles.
ICE had not responded to a request from The Desert Sun for information about the nature of the observed activity as of late Friday afternoon.
Luz Gallegos, executive director of TODEC, an organization that advocates for the rights of immigrants, said volunteers had observed activity in the area. They said the operation appeared to have been targeted toward someone in particular and not a mass immigration sweep. But the organization is still waiting on additional information to confirm, she added.
Rep. Raul Ruiz, a Democrat who represents parts of the Coachella Valley, said in a statement Friday afternoon that he has "formally requested more information from ICE regarding the raid by masked agents in unmarked vehicles in Cathedral City.' Ruiz added that he was 'actively monitoring the situation and following reports.'
Local anxiety and concern was stoked as immigration sweeps were reported across Los Angeles Friday. President Donald Trump has proclaimed that his administration would focus on deporting those in the country illegally.
Gallegos said TODEC's 24/7 hotline started receiving calls about the situation at 7:45 a.m. TODEC's trained volunteers went out once they received a location and documented that there was an ICE operation behind Cardenas Markets on Date Palm Drive in Cathedral City, she said.
That shopping center was one of several locations where people reported seeing ICE agents. The other locations included two other shopping centers and strip malls along Ramon Road, including the centers located around the Ramon Road's intersection with Gene Autry Trail in Palm Springs and its intersection with Landau Boulevard in Cathedral City. There were also reports on Facebook of ICE agents at a shopping area at Date Palm Drive and Highway 111.
California's U.S. Sens. Adam Schiff and Alex Padilla and two U.S. congressmembers from the state released a statement on Friday calling for an internal ICE investigation into a recent raid in San Diego that reportedly saw 20 ICE agents detain four employees of two restaurants in the city. The senators said the agents wore "military-style gear" and raided the restaurants during peak dining hours, detonating flash-bang grenades and instilling widespread fear and panic across the restaurants and the broader San Diego community.
The lawmakers called the raid "disturbing" raid and said it reflects a pattern of 'theatrical' immigration enforcement stunts under the Trump Administration They urged ICE's Office of Professional Responsibility to investigate the agents' use of force, tactical decisions, compliance with legal protocols, and coordination with local officials, as well as the operation's impact on local communities and businesses. They also requested information on how the raid aligns with ICE's current immigration enforcement priorities and what guidance agents had received regarding enforcement in civilian or public-facing settings.
Padilla released another statement Friday condemning what he called "a series of sudden immigration raids" that occurred Friday across Los Angeles.
'The ICE raids across Los Angeles today are a continuation of a disturbing pattern of extreme and cruel immigration enforcement operations across the country," the statement read. "These indiscriminate raids prove once again that the Trump administration cares about nothing but instilling harm and fear in our communities to drive immigrants into the shadows. It will not work. This fearmongering is not going to change the fact that immigrants are valued members of our communities who contribute to our society and economy, and my office will demand accountability for today's actions.'
This is a developing story.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: ICE presence reported in Palm Springs area Friday
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