ANAHEIM, Calif. (KABC) — A community in Anaheim experienced the most significant immigration enforcement activity that the area has seen in weeks on Sunday, according to city officials.
Border Patrol and allied agencies were seen conducting roving enforcement along State College Boulevard near La Palma Avenue. They were driving unmarked vehicles and wearing face masks.
At least five people, including employees and customers of area businesses, were detained.
Three of those detainments happened at the Ponce Recycling Center.
“They went inside and they took around three of our workers,” said Edwin Cruz, an employee at Ponce Recycling Center. “It was very scary, very worrying to come into work and have that fear of, you know, you’re never fully safe. Always gotta be on the lookout.”
Officials say a flower vendor on State College Boulevard and potentially other street vendors in west Anaheim were also detained.
“People don’t understand that we’re just trying to be working and being the best person but they don’t get that,” said Anthony Beza, an employee at Ponce Recycling Center.
The immigration enforcement activity continued, prompting people to begin running down the street. Drivers started honking their horns to alert those nearby.
Joseph Solano watched it unfold from his tattoo shop, Alma Tattoo Company.
“It was horrible yesterday,” Solano said. “Like people running away from a hurricane or something because it was a lot of people just running up and down and then that’s when they hit here and everybody just started hiding.”
Solano said he’s opting to keep the front door of his brand new business locked in case the enforcement activities continue.
“This is just devastating the local economy because now no one’s walking around at all,” Solano said.
Cell phone video shows officers then make their way to the parking lot of The Anaheim Car Wash and Valvoline. Activists and employees are seen confronting the officers, telling them to get off of private property.
“We’re just like doing our regular work and everything not really worried about it so then an SUV just came darting right in here,” said Omar Cea, an employee at The Anaheim Car Wash. “It feels like we all kind of come together, you know, everyone’s like letting us know. Because I know they were down the street too. They were down like different areas.”
One officer was seen running through the car wash parking lot. Another is seen pushing people standing near their vehicle.
One man is seen getting detained in the Valvoline parking lot, though staff say he was a United States citizen and was later released.
“They were here probably only five minutes,” Cea said. “I feel it was more like an intimidation type of thing.”
ABC7 has reached out to DHS for comment. So far, we have not heard back.
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