In the Daily Memo, we break down immigration raids in Southern California and share relevant news from around the nation. Below, you'll find links and references to topics discussed in our video and more, allowing you to take a closer look at each topic. If you appreciate reporting like this, please consider becoming a member of L.A. TACO, buying some merch, or dropping a dime in our fundraiser so we can continue bringing you this vital information.
We now need to talk about the unintended consequences of using the red “know your rights” cards. I’m also updating you on the ongoing hunger strikes and raids.
Let's first talk about these red cards. These are the fantastic little red cards created by the Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC), printed in about 59 languages, informing immigrants about their rights.
But there’s a downside. On the ground, responders have been reporting that folks being questioned by ICE are being immediately detained after pulling these red cards out. It appears that ICE sees them and makes the immediate assumption that people trying to use the cards are undocumented. They have essentially become little red targets.
If you or someone you know has one of these red "know your rights" cards, do not show it to the agents, as they will likely automatically arrest you. You should learn them, memorize the valuable information and rights written on them, but don’t try to use them as a shield. I’ve personally seen videos of these red cards lying on the floor after someone gets taken, a grim token left behind. So please tell your folks to be careful.
The detainee hunger strikes continue across the U.S., and the brutality continues at New Jersey's Delaney Hall, where around 300 people are currently on a hunger strike. Protesters have been there for days since the strike began, trying to stop ICE from disrupting the hunger strikers by transferring them to other prisons. Protesters and medics have been beaten, gassed, pushed into oncoming traffic, and had their legs crushed by semi-trucks.
A detainee from inside alleges that guards are beating people unconscious, have broken a boy's face, and are gassing detainees in retaliation. Protesters have been at it almost 24/7; they’re tired and need more bodies.
Meanwhile, Izzy and I followed a caravan out to the Adelanto ICE processing center yesterday, which went to support the hunger strikers there. There were just over a dozen protesters, and they eventually chose to leave after the detention center closed the gates and denied families and lawyers access to detainees in retaliation. The guards have been threatening to take away detainees' commissary items that families pay abhorrent amounts for.
Meanwhile, the DHS has denied the hunger strikes, while their head, Markway Mullin, is racistly characterizing the strikers as brats who just want ethnic food, and border czar Tom Homan says he will force feed them if he has to. Which is a form of torture, by the way. Former Border Patrol chief and tiny terrorist, Gregory Bovino, is headed to Newark now and is teasing a visit to Delaney Hall to help ICE quell the protests.
As a personal observation, through many conversations with folks as I’m out and about, Southern Californians have become tired of the raids. We have been dealing with ICE the longest, and I’ve heard from many that they willfully ignore the topic because it's become too much.
Major media outlets have moved on to cover many of Trump’s other distractions, and because of this, the most common question I get now is, “The raids stopped, right?” That has been the goal, as stated by Trump and Markwayne Mullin, to quiet down the raids and get those headlines off the front page, at least until midterms.
But mothers, fathers, and children are still being kidnapped, separated, and sent to suffer torturous conditions at these privately-run detention centers, where hunger strikes are happening.
In these last few days, ICE took three men headed to work in Riverside. Their families insist they have no criminal history. They grabbed someone in Poway as well. In El Monte, ICE followed a mother driving to the mall and apprehended her after she parked.
ICE also grabbed someone from their work truck in San Bernardino and a woman outside of a coin laundry. In Santa Paula, neighbors heard a man screaming in distress as he was taken by ICE.
ICE has been present at the ISAP offices in Newbury Park, making Kavanaugh stops in Fullerton, Vista, Paramount, and in Corona, in front of students walking to school, boxing in cars in San Diego. The full report and list as always, is below.
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Stay safe, and stay vigilant. ~ Memo Torres
RAIDS
[Tuesday, May 26, Day 355.]
- Ventura: Government Center, 8:30 p.m. Federal agents at the lobby, as posted by community watchers. 2nd post. 3rd post.
- San Diego: 2546 Violet Street, Yellow tape closes off access to the area of reported federal ICE activity.
[Wednesday, May 27, Day 356.]
- Riverside: On Van Buren Boulevard and Arlington Avenue, around 5:35 a.m. ICE agents took three workers from a work truck in the area. The family reports that there were no warrants and allege that all individuals had no criminal records. The masked agents refused to identify themselves.
- Newbury Park: At an ISAP office at Hillcrest and Lawrence, 6:55 a.m. Immigration agents were present at the ISAP office, according to community watchers.
- Newbury Park: At the Rancho Conejo Boulevard, 6:30 a.m. ICE vehicles spotted in the area by community watchers.
- Fullerton: On Chapman Avenue and Commonwealth Avenue, around 10:00 a.m. ICE agents and vehicles were seen questioning an individual and letting him go afterward.
- Corona: At Cesar Chavez Academy on 1150 Paseo Grande, around 7:55 a.m. At least five masked ICE agents on foot were seen questioning an individual while in their vehicle, all in front of students who were walking to school.
- El Cajon: 2055-2056 Old Bend Road by La Cresta, 8:00 a.m. A firetruck and paramedics were on scene during an ICE traffic stop.
- San Marcos/Vista: ICE agents were seen conducting a traffic stop near the 56 freeway around 9:16 a.m. We are unsure if the individual who was stopped was taken into custody.
- San Diego: Edward J. Schwartz Courthouse, 11:45 a.m. ICE agents and vehicles were seen at the federal courthouse in the downtown area.
- Poway: Near an elementary school on 12321 Ninth Street, around 8:30 a.m. ICE agents were seen taking an individual across the street from the school after drop-off.
- Paramount: On 15625 Lakewood Boulevard, around 10:00 a.m. ICE agents were seen questioning an individual and shortly releasing them.
- San Diego: On Bernardo Drive and Bernardo Court, around 10:45 a.m. ICE agents were seen in the area, and in several other undisclosed locations.
- El Monte: At the Valley Mall on 10906 Valley Mall, around 11:00 a.m. According to the daughter, a woman was driving to the mall unaware that ICE agents had followed her from her home. When she stepped out of her vehicle after parking outside a furniture store, ICE agents and vehicles surrounded her. She was transferred to B18 and, according to community watchers, to Adelanto last night.
- Ventura: At the County of Ventura Government Center on 800 S. Victoria Avenue, around 1:34 p.m. ICE agents were seen at the detention facility at the government center.
[Thursday, May 28, Day 357.]
- San Bernardino: On Highland and Golden, around 7:10 a.m. Community members reached out to rapid responders, stating that an individual was removed from their work truck during an ICE traffic stop. The individual’s car was left behind, but shortly moved by the community. Five ICE vehicles were present.
- Santa Paula: On Paula Palm Avenue, around 8:22 a.m. ICE vehicles were seen in the area. Later in the afternoon, near Harvest Loop, video footage shows ICE agents detaining a man while he was heard screaming, appearing to be in distress.
- San Diego: In Bonita on 2841-2847 Reo Drive. Video footage shows ICE agents boxing in an individual to question him. We are unsure if he was taken into custody.
- San Bernardino: On 685 W. Base Line Street, around 8:38 a.m. In security cam footage, ICE agents were seen taking a woman outside of a coin laundry.
AT L.A. TACO
- Exclusive: Wife of Hunger Striking Detainee Speaks Out on Inhumane Treatment In California Detention Centers
- L.A. TACO’s 2026 Voter Guide
- Investigations Newsletter: L.A. TACO Reporter Detained While Reporting (Again)
IN OTHER ICE-RELATED NEWS
- Another man released from Delaney Hall states no home or family to return to ~ Here's Why Kevin
- Detainees at Texas ICE facility launch hunger strike ~ Here's Why Kevin
- Immigration Courts Schedule “Mega Master” ~ the NYIC
- Agents Shove Catholic Elderly Volunteers ~ Political Payne
- Young Colombian detainee commits suicide in detention center ~ DW Español
- Border Patrol has arrested hundreds in Coachella Valley this year ~ Desert Sun
GENERAL NEWS
- The big gap between the stock market and consumer wallets ~ Yahoo Finance
- Mortgage refinance demand drops 18% as rates hit the highest level since August ~ CNBC
- LA Metro confirms it was hacked. Weeks later, it's still getting systems back online ~ MSN
- New Metro LA app and payment system for LA commuters ~ KTLA 5
- Former U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi is diagnosed with cancer ~ BBC
- Spencer Pratt really believes he will win the L.A. Mayoral race ~ Vanity Fair
- Will Buzzfeed be the next social media platform giant to compete with Youtube? ~ Techcrunch
- Comedian Byron Allen is the new majority owner of Buzzfeed ~ Variety
