The gardener, who was not immediately identified, is a husband and the father of four children, the organization said.
ICE agents detained a gardener in West Los Angeles on Tuesday morning in the presence of his son, according to grassroots organization Westla.rrn.
Around 7 a.m., near the intersection of Culver Boulevard and Dawes Avenue, at least three masked agents made the arrest as the detainee was leaving a job site, according to the organization. The arrest was made while the man’s son was allegedly sitting in his white pickup truck. A video posted on Instagram by @uniondelbarrio shows a black Dodge Challenger blocking the road at the scene of the arrest, while two masked agents in vests are seen standing by.
The gardener, who was not immediately identified, is a husband and the father of four children, the organization said. “Urgent financial assistance is needed for essential household expenses as [the family] navigates this life-altering change without their primary wage earner,” stated a social media post that linked to the family’s Zelle account.
The incident comes less than a week after federal immigration authorities arrested a man outside of the Santa Monica Police Department and City Hall. The Santa Monica Police Department said its officers had arrested the adult male earlier that morning on suspicion of vehicle burglary and possession of burglary tools. He was processed, cited and released from SMPD custody before federal authorities took him into custody on their own.
“SMPD officers did not participate in or assist with the federal arrest. There was no coordinated handoff between SMPD and federal authorities,” the department said at the time.
