Ongoing immigration enforcement operations in Southern California occurred Wednesday in Pasadena and Pico Rivera.
Six Pasadena residents were detained and transported to the Metropolitan Detention Center in downtown Los Angeles, according to Rep. Judy Chu’s office.
“ICE agents are pointing guns at innocent individuals, no warrants, no explanations, just fear and intimidation,” Chu posted on X. “These raids in my district are absolutely vile. Masked and armed like a militia, they’re terrorizing families and destroying any sense of safety in our communities. This is not law enforcement it’s a gross abuse of power, and I will not stand for it.”
The eight-term Pasadena Democrat’s office issued a statement saying Chu was planning to visit the Metropolitan Detention Center on Wednesday afternoon to “demand accountability and transparency, and seek answers regarding her constituents currently being detained, the circumstances of their apprehension, and whether they are being granted due process.”
However, Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials would not let her into the facility, the congresswoman reported.
“ICE agents even brandished a gun at a young man just for filming,” Chu posted on social media. “I was denied entry despite my legal right as a Member of Congress to inspect (Department of Homeland Security) facilities. This is outrageous and unlawful.”
ICE did not respond to a request for comment.
According to published reports of eyewitness accounts and information from immigration advocates, around 6 a.m. Wednesday, ICE agents detained several people near a Pasadena shopping center, including two men at a bus stop at Los Robles Avenue and Orange Grove Boulevard.
City spokeswoman Lisa Deriderian said via email that “local public safety personnel ‘staged’ in front of (Pasadena) City Hall for approximately an hour.”
She also said city officials are “aware of multiple reports regarding enforcement activity at various locations in the city (Wednesday) morning. We are actively investigating social media posts, photos, and videos to gain a better understanding of the situation.
“We want to be clear: Neither the city of Pasadena nor the Pasadena Police Department is involved in the enforcement of federal civil immigration laws,” Deriderian’s statement continued. “We do not inquire about a person’s immigration status when responding to service calls or providing city services.
“Immigration enforcement falls under the jurisdiction of the federal government. State and local governments including the city of Pasadena do not enforce federal immigration laws. Instead, our role as a local government remains focused on serving our local community,” the statement concluded.
Pasadena officials also share concerns “felt across the region in response to recent federal immigration enforcement actions,” Deriderian added.
She said a peaceful protest took place Wednesday night, with about 250 people gathering for a few hours near the intersection of Orange Grove Boulevard and Los Robles.
The ICE operations in Pasadena followed raids Tuesday in Pico Rivera that prompted a protest by about 100 people.
ICE agents raided a Food 4 Less location on Whittier Boulevard and a Lowe’s home improvement store in the 8600 block of Washington Boulevard.
It was not clear how many people were detained.
According to media reports, a man identified by relatives as 20-year-old Adrian Andrew Martinez was wrestled to the ground and arrested by federal agents when Martinez allegedly intervened as agents were questioning another man.
“The city of Pico Rivera is aware and can confirm recent reports on immigration control operations conducted by the United States Immigration and Customs (Enforcement) within our city. These actions have, understandably, generated worry, fear and anxiety among many of our residents,” officials posted on social media Tuesday.
“We want to be clear: The city of Pico Rivera and Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department are not involved, cooperating with, or supporting, in any way, federal immigration control operations. Our city maintains its steadfast commitment to protecting the rights and dignity of all people, regardless of their migrant status. Each person has the right to due process as guaranteed by the Constitution,” the statement continued.
“We are deeply concerned about the tone and nature of these recent actions. Reports of aggressive tactics, arrests without warrants and operatives that appear to target specific communities raise serious doubts about the proportionality, justice and legality of the process.”
The hourslong protest marched from Pico Rivera City Hall to the intersection of Rosemead and Washington boulevards.
LA County sheriff’s deputies monitored the demonstration, but the department did not report any arrests made.
Trump administration officials have said that the immigration enforcement operations would continue in spite of at times violent protests and local politicians’ repeated pleas for an end to the raids.
On Sunday, Trump called on ICE officials “to do all in their power to achieve the very important goal of delivering the single largest Mass Deportation Program in History,” the president posted on social media.
The recent San Gabriel Valley ICE ops occurred as a court decision loomed on control of California National Guard troops stationed in Los Angeles.
An appeals court on Thursday allowed Trump to temporarily keep control of troops in LA while the case is litigated, over the objections of Gov. Gavin Newsom. California Attorney General Rob Bonta and Newsom sued to block Trump’s decision to federalize thousands of Guard soldiers.
San Francisco-based federal Judge Charles Breyer, the younger brother of former Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer, ruled last week that bringing the troops under the president’s authority was illegal and unconstitutional.
The president praised the court’s decision.
“BIG WIN in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals on the President’s core power to call in the National Guard!,” Trump posted on social media. “The Judges obviously realized that Gavin Newscum is incompetent and ill prepared, but this is much bigger than Gavin, because all over the United States, if our Cities, and our people, need protection, we are the ones to give it to them should State and Local Police be unable, for whatever reason, to get the job done. This is a Great Decision for our Country, and we will continue to protect and defend Law abiding Americans. Congratulations to the Ninth Circuit, America is proud of you tonight!”
Newsom and Bonta asserted that their legal challenge would continue.
In a statement Bonta said the case is “far from over” despite the three-judge panel’s unanimous, “disappointing” ruling late Thursday.
“The Trump administration far overreached its authority with its unprecedented and unlawful federalization of the California National Guard and deployment of military troops into our communities,” the attorney general said.
“As senior military leaders serving in administrations from JFK to Obama have affirmed, the use of the military on U.S. soil should be ‘rare, serious, and legally clear.’ That is not the case in Los Angeles where our state and local law enforcement officers responded effectively to isolated episodes of violence at otherwise peaceful protests and the president deliberately sought to create the very chaos and crises he claimed to be addressing,” Bonta continued. “While the court did not provide immediate relief for Angelenos … we remain confident in our arguments and will continue the fight.”
Newsom posted on X, “The court rightly rejected Trump’s claim that he can do whatever he wants with the National Guard and not have to explain himself to a court. We will press forward with our challenge to President Trump’s authoritarian use of U.S. military soldiers against citizens.”
Trump deployed the National Guard to LA shortly after violence broke out June 6 and 7 during the first weekend of protests. A short time later the president also sent approximately 700 U.S. Marines to the area.
The U.S. Department of Defense Northern Command on Tuesday reported the 49th Military Police Brigade would serve in the Los Angeles area with the 79th Infantry Brigade Combat Team and two Marine units under a central command, totaling around 4,100 soldiers plus the 700 active-duty Marines.
Updated June 20, 2025, 9:53 a.m.
