(Thechieftainspear) –A federal law enforcement operation outside a Home Depot in Pomona has drawn sharp criticism from immigrant rights advocates and local residents after a group of day laborers were reportedly detained Tuesday morning.
According to witnesses and advocacy organizations, between 15 and 20 workers were taken into custody during the early morning hours by agents believed to be from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). The agents arrived in both marked and unmarked vehicles, entering the parking lot from two different directions.
Community groups quickly organized a protest outside the Home Depot location, denouncing what they described as a targeted and traumatic action against individuals simply seeking work.
“Our community should not be living in fear,” said one protester at the scene. “This is about human dignity.”
Alexis Teodoro, Worker Rights Director with the Pomona Economic Opportunity Center, said the raid occurred between 8:30 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. “They surrounded the area and detained a group of day laborers who were just there hoping to find jobs,” Teodoro said.
Footage captured at the scene shows Border Patrol vehicles swarming the lot as agents apprehended several individuals and transported them to an undisclosed location. The identities of the agencies involved and the reason for the arrests remain unclear.
Witnesses, including a man named Carlos who spoke through a translator, expressed heartbreak over the operation. “I began crying when I saw what was happening,” Carlos said. “We are human beings, and we’re only here trying to provide for our families.”
Jessica Bansal, an attorney with the National Day Laborer Organizing Network, questioned the legality and motivation behind the arrests. “It is not illegal to be a day laborer. It is not a crime to look for work,” she said. “We want to know what evidence agents had before carrying out these arrests.”
Later that same morning, a separate incident unfolded just blocks away at a barbershop on Holt Avenue. Miguel Majin said his father, a longtime Pomona business owner, was also taken into custody during a sudden encounter with armed agents.
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Surveillance footage from the barbershop showed Majin’s father arriving and unlocking a gate before being surrounded by federal agents with weapons drawn. “They pulled guns on him. He didn’t resist,” Majin said. “He’s not a criminal—he pays taxes and owns property.”
Majin noted that while his father had previously been deported in the early 2000s, the dramatic arrest felt unwarranted. “He’s not a threat to anyone. What happened here wasn’t right.”
In response to the events, Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda Solis released a statement expressing concern and pledging support for those impacted.
“My office was informed about a federal law enforcement presence in Pomona, where up to 20 day laborers were detained,” Solis said. “I’ve directed the L.A. County Office of Immigrant Affairs to coordinate with the Pomona Day Labor Center to ensure access to legal aid and resources.”
She also highlighted recent county efforts to bolster legal support for immigrants, including $5.5 million in additional funding for the RepresentLA program, which provides legal representation to undocumented residents.
While questions remain about which federal agency conducted the raids, a spokesperson told KTLA that neither the Department of Homeland Security nor ICE were involved in the Home Depot incident. KTLA has reached out to CBP for clarification and is awaiting a response.
The situation remains under investigation, with many community members continuing to demand answers and accountability.
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