Community groups including Unión del Barrio and the Self Defense Coalition have prepared for and responded to the operations, building a network of volunteers who monitor activity and provide support.
Over the past year, volunteers have conducted daily early morning patrols across the Los Angeles area to identify and report federal immigration actions.
"When we first started doing, building this whole network, honestly, I didn't know how big it was going to get," said Ron Gochez of Unión del Barrio.
The group says it now has thousands of volunteers on call to respond when immigration activity is reported.
During one recent patrol in El Sereno, volunteers spent about a morning canvassing the area and reported no sightings of federal agents.
Gochez said that while activity may appear to have slowed in recent months, enforcement has continued.
"We want the public to know that the raids have never stopped."
According to the Data Deportation Project, the number of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrests in the Los Angeles area of responsibility - which includes seven counties - more than tripled in 2025 compared to 2024.
ICE data also shows the daily average number of people in custody in April 2026 exceeded 4,400, compared to nearly 1,800 in 2025.
Gochez, a high school history teacher, has witnessed the impact of the arrests on the ground and in his classroom.
"I had one of my students last week tell me that her mom was deported a month ago."
An ABC7 data analysis of the same region found that in the first seven months of President Donald Trump's second term, at least 657 parents were apprehended.
Of those, 491 were detained.
At least 278 were deported. The figures are considered likely undercounts and reflect data available only through Aug. 21.
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As immigration operations also continue in places like courthouses and ICE check-ins, Unión del Barrio volunteers also field calls from concerned residents asking about potential enforcement locations.
"A couple of times, people have asked if we see any activity like at the DMV," said Maria Flores, a member of the organization.
Flores, an artist and special education worker, said she was drawn to the group in part because many members are educators. She emphasized the emotional toll of the work.
"This work is not easy, and like Ron mentioned, many years from now, they're going to study how this affected our communities."
The impact of enforcement actions has extended beyond individual arrests. Indigenous Zapotec communities have worked to support workers detained during a June 6 raid at Ambiance Apparel.
Yurien, whose father was arrested in that operation, described lasting effects on his family.
"The emotional and mental of the day stayed with our family long after the raid ended and even after his liberation."
Gochez believes that organized resistance from community members has deterred federal operations.
"This is a national movement that was started here in Southern California. We're continuing it and we're proud of it."
"Sometimes people have a misconception that in order to do this work, somebody has to be brave or heroic, and many of us are just like regular people," Flores said.
Gochez added that the movement is also about leaving a record of community action.
"One day when my grandchildren, if I ever have any, study this in history class, they're going to know that we fought back."