POMONA, Calif. (KABC) — Family members are calling for justice and demanding transparency after more than a dozen day laborers were detained outside a Home Depot in Pomona.
A group that included relatives of the detainees held a press conference Tuesday, speaking out about their concerns.
“I am sad like everyone else, because I don’t want them to send him back there along with the others detained,” said Bernardo Garcia.
His son, Yoni Ronaldo Garcia, along with two other men, identified as Jesus Domingo Ros and Edwin Roberto Juarez, were among those detained.
They were reportedly waiting for work on April 22 when U.S. Border Patrol agents moved in.
According to the Department of Homeland Security, the operation was aimed at one individual with an outstanding arrest warrant. The others were detained incidentally, the agency said.
Now, two weeks later, immigration rights advocates and organizations are rallying, demanding the men be released.
“The ICE attorney is claiming that these individuals do not qualify for a bond hearing, and they want to expeditely deport them,” said Alexis Teodoro with the Pomona Economic Opportunity Center.
However, in a statement, a spokesperson for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said the agency’s officers were not not involved in the raid.
“ICE was not a part of the law enforcement activity in the city of Pomona, near the Home Depot,” the statement said. “ICE does not conduct raids as part of its routine daily immigration law enforcement efforts. ICE’s enforcement resources are based on intelligence-driven leads and ICE officers do not target persons indiscriminately. ICE uses data-driven, fact-based intelligence to identify, arrest and remove criminal aliens from the United States. It partners with local, tribal, state and federal law enforcement agencies to keep our communities safe and preserve national security.”
Garica said his son has been in the U.S. since February 2021.
Garcia, Ros and Juarez had a bond hearing Tuesday, but advocates said it was moved to May 9 based on information provided by immigration authorities, determining that the men had not been in the country for more than a year.
Advocates, however, said the men have been in the U.S. for more than a year, and said they planned on presenting evidence to the court on May 9.
Immigration advocates argue that immigration officials have no legal basis to deny the men a hearing, and point out that all three men have no criminal records.
“They have been here longer than two years, and again, they were only looking for work, which is their constitutional right, protected in this country,” said Teodoro.
Rep. Norma Torres and Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda Solis have added their support to the legal battle. The two sent representatives to Tuesday’s news conference, who urged immigration court and immigration officials to release the detained men.
“All three men wish to pursue their cases with dignity,” said Danielle Urbina, a spokesperson for Solis. “They are deeply connected to this community as day laborers, contributing to our local economy and the workforce.”
As for Garcia, he’s holding on to hope.
“I hope the judge and authorities will release my son soon,” he said.
