Immigration agents detain mother in front of her children in Pasadena, video shows

PASADENA, Calif. (KABC) -- A video shows federal agents in Pasadena detaining a mother, allegedly without a warrant, as her children try to hold onto her over the weekend.

The incident happened at about 7:30 a.m. Saturday in the area of Del Mar Boulevard and Catalina Avenue, according to a statement by Pasadena Police Chief Gene Harris.

In the video, you can hear several people demanding to see a warrant as the agents attempt to force Vargas into an unmarked car while her children try to stop them.

"We're not going to let her go! Get your hands off my mom!" can be heard in the video.

The witness, who posted the video to the platform Reddit, said one of the agents claimed to have a warrant but did not show any documentation.

At one point in the video, a girl can be heard asking the person filming to call the police. The witness said she stopped recording, called 911, and reported what she believed was a kidnapping.

"Officers and a Supervisor responded to evaluate the circumstances and discovered it was an ICE operation and PPD verified their identification," Harris said. "The agents detained one female without incident and PPD did not assist ICE in the apprehension as PPD was solely there for the call for service."

Pasadena Fire personnel responded to the scene to evaluate the woman, who has been identified as Rosalina Luna Vargas, a mother of two. Harris said she declined to go to the hospital.

Harris said that Pasadena police remained on scene to "provide for public safety as a small group gathered."

At one point, according to the witness, Vargas broke free and the immigration agents continued to pursue her to the Del Mar Park Assisted Living facility courtyard, where an employee there told agents they were on private property and could not remain without a warrant.

The witness added that the agents later returned and took Vargas into custody after producing a warrant, and that, according to one of the children, the warrant in question was for a different person.

"They were in the wrong place at the wrong time," the witness posted on Reddit.

"It's been a very traumatic experience for me and my brother and my family. I was just gonna try to defend my mother as best as I can and will do that til the end of time," Rosalina's son, Bayardo Vargas, said.

With their mother gone, 20-year-old Bayardo is now acting as the legal guardian for his 17-year-old brother, Alejandro Vargas.

"She's a hard-working woman, main breadwinner, everything, the whole nine yards. And out of all the people I know, she doesn't deserve this, nor does any other family in this community," said Alejandro.

"They're having a hard time emotionally, especially at night. But they're the most strongest smartest boys," said Joanna Smithson, the boys' stepmother.

A GoFundMe was created to help cover legal expenses and support efforts to bring Vargas home.

Over 100 people gathered in Pasadena for a vigil Monday night to condemn what they're calling the "senseless aggression of the Trump administration."

The Vargas brothers were born and raised in Pasadena and their community has been offering support to them since Saturday's detention of their mother.

"I think it's horrendous that this woman was picked up. They said they had a warrant. Evidently, it was for someone else. She was picked up on private property. This is outrageous; this is not our country," said Reverend Patricia O'Reilly.

Members of the local clergy said that what the Trump administration is doing to the community is shameful.

Eyewitness News learned Republican state senator Suzette Martinez Valladares of Valencia, along with 5 other Republican senators including the Minority Leader sent a letter to President Trump asking him to stop these raids on workplaces and stop sweeping up people like Rosalina, and instead focus on people with criminal records.

They're also asking the president to find a path to legal status for those who have been here for years working and contributing to their communities, people like Rosalina.

Storyful contributed to this report.