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The Trump administration’s pause on workplace immigration raids was short lived. As
someone who’s yet to implement policies that don’t disrupt one sector or another of the
economy or the public at large, it comes as no surprise that Trump’s vow to protect
migrants in the farm, hotel, construction and restaurant industries, was all gas.
At the order of Stephen Miller, Trump’s Chief of Staff and architect of his mass
deportation strategy, ICE has been directed to meet a quota of 3000 detentions per day.
With numbers well below the target, Miller reportedly berated members of Homeland
Security advising them to expand their tactics. This lead to the raids we’ve seen over
the last couple weeks, which not only had devastating effects on the Los Angeles
region, but various industries including the farming industry expressed deep concerns
over the impacts the raids were having on their workforces as many migrant workers
stopped coming to work altogether. The combination of negative press and poor
economic impacts inspired Trump to initiate the pause. However, Miller opposed the
president’s direction, and appears to have the stronger voice in the White House.
“Looks like Stephen Miller is the boss, after all. Trump got big footed by his own staff.
Pathetic,” California Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a post on Twitter, now known as X.
Federal officials confirmed that ICE is conducting raids at a wide variety of locations
across Southern California and beyond. These include, farms and agricultural
warehouses, hotels, motels, restaurants, food trucks, construction sites, hardware
stores (notably, Home Depot locations) car washes and landscaping businesses. The
raids are reportedly being coordinated with local law enforcement agencies and are
expected to intensify over the next two months.
What Could This Mean for Inglewood?
Inglewood has already felt the chilling effects. Community members report that local
vendors who typically set up food trucks and pop up restaurants along La Brea Avenue,
Arbor Vitae, and Prairie Avenue have seemingly disappeared overnight. Multiple
eyewitnesses noted federal agents outside local hardware stores, including the Home
Depot on Century Boulevard, where several day laborers were allegedly detained
without notice.
Local residents have voiced concern that ICE’s presence is not just about immigration
enforcement but has broader implications for racial profiling. Many vendors in
Inglewood, though legally permitted to operate, say they fear being mistaken for
undocumented individuals due to simply being who they are.
With Homeland Security signaling that Los Angeles County will remain a “priority region”
for at least two more months, community organizations are calling for immediate clarity
on residents’ rights. Advocates urge locals to educate themselves on how to respond
during encounters with ICE, including knowing the difference between voluntary
questioning and lawful detention.
Inglewood Today will continue monitoring this story and urges anyone affected to
contact local advocacy groups or legal aid services. If you have been impacted or have
witnessed ICE activity in your neighborhood, reach out to us at
Inglewoodtoday@gmail.com
