Los Angeles ICE Raids Detain 1,600, Disrupt Post-Wildfire Rebuilding

Federal immigration agents detained Rosalina Luna Vargas in Pasadena on 29 June, pulling the mother of two into an unmarked vehicle as her children pleaded for a warrant, according to video verified by the Pasadena Police Department. Officers at the scene confirmed the men were U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement personnel and said they did not assist in the arrest; Vargas declined medical transport after being evaluated by firefighters. The incident is part of an intensified enforcement drive that has led to more than 1,600 arrests across greater Los Angeles since 6 June, including a widely criticised Independence Day sweep at a West Hollywood car wash. Civil-rights groups led by the American Civil Liberties Union and Public Counsel filed suit last week, alleging unconstitutional tactics and racial profiling. The Trump administration, which has tripled ICE’s budget, has countersued the city over its sanctuary policies, prompting Mayor Karen Bass to vow a legal fight. Businesses warn the crackdown is worsening a labour shortage just as Los Angeles begins to rebuild from the January wildfires that razed about 16,000 structures. Developers say construction crews are walking off sites, and economists estimate the region will need 70,000 additional workers to stay on schedule. Port traffic, already hit by tariffs, fell 19 % in April, adding to concerns that the immigration raids could stall the city’s fragile recovery.