At least 10 people were taken by federal immigration agents in the Echo Park and Silver Lake area this past Friday, according to the Echo Park Local, a chapter of the Los Angeles Tenants Union. According to the Echo Park Local’s Instagram account, federal immigration agents appeared to be conducting roving patrols focused on those Los Angeles neighborhoods.
The Echo Park Local of the Los Angeles Tenants Union was the first to provide community support during the federal immigration agent activity–documenting and compiling the incidents on multiple posts to their instagram account.
“Yes, we do tenant organizing but ultimately we’re fighting for people and against displacement of our people from the city they helped build,” says Citlalli, an organizer with EPLATU. “Deportation is a form of displacement.”
Citlalli asked L.A. TACO to only use her first name, due to safety concerns.
Henry Rivas, a local artist, was taken by federal immigration agents outside of the yet-to-be-announced Echo Park location of Tijuanazo around 9 a.m. on Friday, as he was working on a mural meant to grace the restaurant.
“He was literally snatched out of our roof, the paint he was using is still up there,” Reynaldo Loeza, a manager at Tijuanazo, told L.A. TACO on Friday.
“It’s been a few days and I'm still heartbroken for Henry and his family, especially his children," Aria Esquivel, the owner of Tijuanazo, tells L.A. TACO. “It’s an incredibly difficult time we are living in and I can’t stand to see our people being victims of such hate.”
Rivas’s family has created a GoFundMe and are asking for funds that can go towards bail and legal fees.
Three gardeners were also taken from 2139 Glendale Boulevard by federal immigration agents within the same hour.
Additionally, a street vendor was taken by federal immigration agents from a gas station on Sunset Boulevard and Alvarado Street at around 10:15 a.m. The vendor was deported to Tijuana today, according to Citlalli. L.A. TACO will shortly update this article with the vendor’s GoFundMe.
Another person was taken by federal immigration agents at Elsinore Street and Mohawk Street. around 10:44 a.m. on Friday.
Then there’s Rafael Vela, who was taken from his home while doing yard work in Silver Lake on Descanso Drive and Micheltorena Street around 10:45 a.m.
“He’s been here in Los Angeles for 30 years,” Destiny Ruiz, a family friend of Vela tells L.A. TACO. “He is a caretaker to many people. Many people in the community know him as a hard working and sweet individual.”
Vela’s family created a GoFundMe and is seeking funds to cover the cost of an immigration attorney, legal expenses, bond, and court-related expenses.
There were more people taken that morning.
Also around 10:45 a.m. on Friday, at least one person was taken by federal immigration agents on Temple and Edgeware.
Then around 11 a.m., a restaurant worker was taken by federal immigration agents while they were sweeping on Sunset Boulevard and Lemoyne. Another street vendor was also taken at a gas station by federal immigration agents on Fletcher Drive and Riverside Drive.
The Echo Park Local of the Los Angeles Tenants Union (EPLATU) placed a call for community support on instagram on Friday for members of the community to gather near where Rivas had been taken earlier that day. Around 50 to 70 people protested and called for “ICE out of Echo Park." Community members also passed out at least 500 rapid response flyers that contained information on how to submit tips on federal immigration activity.
Years of community organizing, broken down by neighborhood, has made the Echo Park Local of the Los Angeles Tenants Union uniquely prepared for this moment, Citlalli says. The tenants union has been pushing for a county-wide eviction moratorium to help ease the financial burden on families who fear that going to work could lead to being kidnapped.
“[They are] choosing between putting bread on the table for them and their family and potentially being kidnapped or possibly killed,” Citlalli tells L.A TACO.
