Trump Raids Drive LA\’s Undocumented Migrants to Hide at Home
Living Behind a Closed Door in Los Angeles
Alberto, a 60‑year‑old Salvadoran, has spent the last month confined to a tiny room hidden behind a backyard. He fears stepping outside because masked police officers routinely sweep the city, arresting immigrants without a U.S. visa.
Escaping the Scrutiny
During one large raid on a car wash, several of Alberto’s friends were detained and later deported. Since the raid, Alberto has stopped going to work and has avoided a medical appointment, even though he is pre‑diabetic.
- Alberto receives food deliveries twice a week from an aid organization.
- His only chance to breathe fresh air is walking the private alley in front of his home.
- He reports headaches and body pain from having to work in his former job.
The Broader Impact of ICE Enforcement
In early June, ICE agents arrested over 2,200 people in the Los Angeles region; about 60 % had no criminal record. The sweeping, often arbitrary raids sparked weeks of demonstrations that turned violent and vandalized the city.
Changing Daily Life for Undocumented Workers
Norma Fajardo, the director of a non‑profit car‑wash worker center, describes neighborhoods as “ghost towns” after the raids. Public transportation usage dropped 13.5 % compared to the previous month. Fajardo says the community has begun to accept a new normal, planning for the long term rather than reacting in crisis mode.
Food Assistance Saves Families
Marisol, an unnamed Honduran woman, has been locked inside a building with 12 family members for weeks. Food deliveries have been a huge relief for her and her family, who have faced a threat from a Honduran crime gang that forced her to flee 15 years ago. The family wonders if they should consider leaving the United States.
Marisol’s sons have suggested they might prefer to move to Europe, expressing a hope that their future could be safer elsewhere.
Trump’s Immigration Offensive and the City’s Response
Trump’s re‑election campaign heavily emphasized immigration enforcement, which surprised many in the liberal Los Angeles area, home to hundreds of thousands of undocumented workers. While some voters supported the strategy, the intense enforcement has changed daily life, leading to reduced public transit usage and a pervasive sense of fear.
Future Outlook
Congress recently allocated almost $30 billion to bolster immigration enforcement, including manpower for 10,000 additional ICE agents. Fajardo does not expect any easing of policy. Many workers, including Alberto and the families in Marisol’s building, are adjusting to an uncertain future in a city where walking through neighborhoods sometimes feels like stepping into a ghost town.
