Protest breaks out in Pico Rivera after ICE detains people in raids across the city

PICO RIVERA, Calif. (KABC) -- ICE agents conducted immigration raids at several sites in Pico Rivera on Tuesday, but the Department of Homeland Security has not said how many people were detained.

Some of the raids led to emotional confrontations with people demanding answers.

A video from one of the raids shows a violent confrontation as ICE officers took down Adrian Andrew Martinez. Witnesses said he was yelling at agents as they rounded up workers in a parking lot.

"They started yelling at us, 'Get back. Get back. Get back.' While they were pushing one of the other guys, they threw him to the floor twice by the neck, just for standing up for his coworker, who they were grabbing," said witness Oscar Preciado.

The 20-year-old's mother said she has no idea where he is or if he was injured.

"I have no words. I just really don't know what to say or what to think," Myra Villarreal said. "I'm really worried right now because I have no whereabouts. I don't know where he's at or if he's even safe."

ICE agents took numerous people into custody across the city on Tuesday, including the janitor at the Food 4 Less on Whittier Boulevard, according to witnesses. They also took Francisco Urizar, the driver of a tortilla truck, as he was making a delivery.

"This is my dad's business. Delivering Mission Foods, so if he's not here delivering it, he loses his store, and he loses his business, and everything just falls apart, and now it's on me. I have to think of how to keep this running for him," said Urizar's daughter, Nancy Urizar.

Mayor Johnny Garcia said the city was not warned that ICE was coming or about Tuesday's raids.

"Let me be very clear. The city of Pico Rivera nor the Pico Rivera Sheriff's Department condone this type of enforcement," Garcia said.

After Tuesday's raids, hours-long protests broke out. Protesters marched from City Hall to the corner of Rosmead and Washington. Things remained mostly peaceful. Eyewitness News crews at the scene saw a lot of fireworks, but no signs of violence or vandalism.

Many who showed up say the ICE enforcement actions are nothing more than targeted discrimination.

"Just seeing people getting picked off the street, no due process at all. I mean, even just citizens, as well, facing the wrath of whatever the hell is going on out here," said protester Alan Aldana.

"These are good, hard-working people, it's not the narrative that we hear that these are criminals," said protester Lorraine Zapata. "These are children being taken, these are fathers, these are mothers, these are families that are being separated."

Mayor Garcia said the city is here to help residents understand what their rights are.

"Pico Rivera is a very diverse community, and at the end of the day, Pico Rivera has been providing the resources, the support necessary, educating our residents on their rights, and more importantly, looking at some legal options that we may be able to assist them with," said Mayor Garcia.