Latest news with #Gomez-Garcia
Los Angeles Times
11-07-2025
- Politics
- Los Angeles Times
Immigration raids at Anaheim car washes prompts a family's fight for their father
Gilberto Gomez-Garcia's family begged him not to report to the Anaheim Car Wash for work on the eve of Independence Day. Scenes of car washes being raided by federal immigration agents across Southern California had instilled fear that the family's patriarch, an undocumented immigrant from Colima, Mexico, would not be safe. Gomez-Garcia's family made preparations beforehand and rehearsed what he should do in the event of a raid. They cautioned him not to answer any questions from Immigration and Customs Enforcement or any other federal agent. Gomez-Garcia, an Anaheim father of three, insisted that he would be able to outrun any raid. All the while, President Donald Trump's federal immigration crackdown continued at area swap meets, outside of Home Depot stores and at public parks. 'My father mentioned that he had a dream the night before that ICE took him,' said Andrea Gomez, his daughter. 'That dream, unfortunately, turned into a real-life nightmare.' Gomez-Garcia headed to work on July 3 at around 9:30 a.m., a routine he kept for more than 20 years. Less than an hour into his shift, federal immigration agents raided the car wash and apprehended at least three people. Cellphone video from a bystander captured a federal agent arresting Gomez-Garcia at his workplace. Placed in an unmarked car, Garcia-Gomez suffered an injury when a bystander hurled an object and shattered the tinted window next to his passenger seat. Federal agents eventually took him to a hospital to treat the resulting eye injury. That same day, U.S. Border Patrol agents had raided Euclid Hand Car Wash in Anaheim, which shut the business down for the rest of the long Fourth of July weekend. According to Anaheim officials, agents with Border Patrol, ICE and Homeland Security Investigations carried out another enforcement action at Euclid Hand Car Wash on Wednesday that led to the arrest of two people. Spokespersons for U.S. Customs and Border Protections and ICE did not respond to TimesOC requests for comment by press deadline. Word of the latest raid spread to 'carwasheros' in the city, who feared they could be next, and signaled how such businesses have been repeatedly targeted since immigration raids ramped up in June. 'Car washes are easy access,' said Flor Melendrez, executive director of the CLEAN Car Wash Worker Center. 'They're out in the open. It is hard to tell what is and what isn't private property. That is a major reason why car washes have been so impacted by these raids.' Melendrez said that car wash raids are also quick work for federal immigration agents, with enforcement actions typically lasting just five to 10 minutes. CLEAN has compiled a list of at least 56 car wash businesses raided throughout Southern California through Wednesday. With Euclid Hand Car Wash's most recent raid added, masked federal agents have arrested approximately 112 workers, according to the group's tally. Some car wash businesses have been raided more than four times in recent weeks. 'This isn't about public safety,' said Anaheim Councilmember Carlos Leon. 'Folks are being targeted at their jobs where they are working hard to provide for their families. It's something that, unfortunately, we've seen happen in the city. But the raids aren't helping anybody in the community feel safer.' Gomez-Garcia, according to his daughter, received a call about a car wash raid in Anaheim a few minutes before his own arrest, but he decided to keep working. Andrea spoke to her father the day after his arrest. Immigration authorities held him at an ICE detention facility in downtown Los Angeles. Since Garcia-Gomez has diabetes, high blood pressure and suffers from seizures, ICE allowed his family to drop off prescription medications, protein shakes and a warm jacket. Through the holiday weekend, Andrea organized a GoFundMe page that has collected more than $18,000 in donations. The Gomez family also held a car wash on June 6 to raise additional funds. While the Gomez family has received a lot of support from the community, others took the fundraising car wash as an opportunity to yell, 'You don't belong here' and 'Go back to Mexico.' The hateful comments disappointed Andrea, but won't deter the family from rallying around Gomez-Garcia. On Monday, Andrea visited her father at the ICE detention facility. She said he still wore the same blue shirt he was wearing when federal agents took him into custody. She reported that his eye looked swollen from the injury. 'We only had about five minutes to talk to him,' she said. 'We told him everything that our family has been doing for him, what our community was doing for him, and that he isn't alone.' Family members advised him not to sign any self-deportation papers. Gomez-Garcia responded by saying he felt like a slave in detention. Since then, Gomez-Garcia has been transferred to the Adelanto ICE Detention Center, where he reports better conditions. His family recently met with an attorney. 'We want to fight his case because he's no criminal,' she said. 'He's a really hard-working man who came here to give us a better life.'
Yahoo
10-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Man convicted of killing Denver officer denied access to youth parole program
DENVER (KDVR) — After a large pushback and outcry, the Colorado Department of Corrections announced Wednesday that a man convicted of killing a Denver officer will not be allowed into a program that would allow for an early release. Raul Gomez-Garcia was 19 years old when he shot and killed Denver Police Detective Donnie Young while he was working an off-duty job in 2005. In March, Young's family received a letter saying Gomez-Garcia could qualify for the Juveniles and Young Adults Convicted as Adults Program. The law requires that convicts attend a three-year program and serve at least 20 years of their sentence to qualify for the early parole program. The DOC said Gomez-Garcia's application did not meet the requirements. 'As a result, Mr. Gomez-Garcia is not under consideration for the program and is not eligible to reapply for a period of three years,' the DOC said. Greeley man, 24, gets life in prison for killing woman in 2022 The department explained that the program was created and signed into law in 2021 and includes a 'structured, multi-step process designed to ensure fairness, accountability, and public safety.' Many called on Gov. Jared Polis to join them in calling on the DOC to deny the petition to join the program, including Colorado Reps. Gabe Evans, the Denver Police Protective Association, Colorado GOP members and more. Evans went further, calling on Polis to work with legislators to amend the law, preventing anyone who has been convicted of killing a peace officer or who is a foreign national from joining the program. The Governor's Office told FOX31 that even if someone is accepted into the program and is able to complete it and meet the criteria for an early release, the parole board could still deny the request. Gomez-Garcia is currently eligible for parole in 2053 and has a mandatory release date in 2081, according to the governor's office. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
GOP representatives urge Polis to push for ‘cop-killer' parole application rejection
DENVER (KDVR) — Four Republican representatives, led by Rep. Gabe Evans, have sent a letter asking Gov. Jared Polis to join them in asking the Colorado Department of Corrections to reject an early parole application. They also asked that Polis work with legislators to amend a law providing juvenile and young adult offenders a path to parole by not allowing anyone who has killed a peace officer or who is a foreign national to join the program. Previous coverage: Family of Denver officer killed off-duty worries killer may be released decades early The case under discussion is that of Raul Gomez-Garcia, who shot and killed Denver Police Detective Donnie Young while he was working off-duty in 2005. Gomez-Garcia was 19 years old when he shot and killed Young and injured another officer. Earlier this month, Young's family received a letter stating Gomez-Garcia could qualify for a program called Juveniles and Young Adults Convicted as Adults Program, which could lead to him gaining parole. Gomez-Garcia was convicted of murder and attempted murder and was sentenced to 80 years in prison. The law requires that convicts attend a 3-year program and serve at least 20 years of their sentence to qualify for the early parole program. 'This is a travesty to victims. It is a slap in the face to victims. It is a slap in the face to society. To our justice system. To our law enforcement. I don't understand how this made it through to be signed into law,' Young told FOX31's Vicente Arenas earlier this month. 'This' meaning HB21-1209, 'Parole Eligibility for Youthful Offenders,' which was created the program and was signed into law on July 6, 2021, by Polis. The Colorado Governor's Office told FOX31 that even if someone completes the three-year program and meets the criteria to apply for early release, that does not mean they will be granted parole. Gomez-Garcia is currently eligible for parole in 2053 and has a mandatory release date in 2081, according to the governor's office. Man accused of shooting 1, barricading in apartment and firing at officer 'While there is no question that Mr. Gomez-Garcia committed a heinous crime, the Governor has no role in determining whether someone does or does not apply for a particular program, as outlined in statute and the Department of Corrections' Administrative Regulation,' the governor's office told FOX31. 'It's unfortunate that these members of Congress took the time to grandstand without taking the time to understand this program. Governor Polis will work with anyone to improve public safety and keep dangerous criminals, including individuals who kill police officers, off the streets.' Reps. Gabe Evans, Lauren Boebert, Jeff Crank and Jeff Hurd, who all represent Colorado in U.S. Congress, are asking that Polis work with lawmakers to 'prevent cop killers and illegal immigrants from being eligible for this program.' Gomez-Garcia is Mexican and fled to the country after the shooting. He was arrested in Mexico and extradited back to the U.S. 'Given the horrific and undeniably evil nature of this crime that resulted in the execution of a Colorado Peace Officer, devoted husband, and loving father – we ask that you join us in urging Executive Director Moses Stancil to reject Gomez-Garcia's JYACAP application. Colorado elected officials, law enforcement groups, and the victim's family have been united in opposing the killer's application to this program – including former Denver District Attorney Mitch Morrisey who was elected as a Democrat and whose office convicted Gomez Garcia,' the representatives wrote to Polis. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
