A person who fled as an immigration raid unfolded at a Home Depot in Southern California was killed when he ran onto a freeway as federal brokers moved in, native officers stated.
The National Day Laborer Organizing Network recognized the person as Roberto Carlos Montoya Valdés, 52, of Guatemala. He ran from a Home Depot in Monrovia, about 20 miles northeast of downtown Los Angeles, as Immigration and Customs Enforcement brokers started the operation Thursday morning, Monrovia City Manager Dylan Feik stated in a statement.
He was heading north throughout eastbound Interstate 210 when he stepped in entrance of an SUV going about 60 mph in the far-left lane, the California Highway Patrol stated in a launch, citing investigators. The car’s proper entrance finish hit the person, who suffered main accidents and died at a hospital.
The one who ran onto the freeway was “not being pursued by any DHS law enforcement,” ICE instructed NCS in a press release. “We do not know their legal status. We were not aware of this incident or notified by California Highway Patrol until hours after operations in the area had concluded.”
California Highway Patrol, which is investigating the incident, stated it was not given stories from federal officers in regards to the incident and was not knowledgeable in advance of raids in the world.
“CHP can confirm that the incident occurred within the vicinity of a federal enforcement operation,” the freeway patrol stated in a information launch Friday night time. “However, CHP cannot confirm the connection between the enforcement operation and the fatality at this time.”
On Friday, dozens crammed the Monrovia Home Depot car parking zone in a somber march mourning the lack of Montoya Valdés. “We’re here to just to lift up his humanity, to say his name … and to say that this cannot happen anymore,” Rev. Francisco Garcia, who co-chairs the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles’ Sacred Resistance ministry, instructed NCS affiliate KCAL/KCBS.
Home Depot areas increasingly have become targets for immigration raids because the Trump administration amps up deportation operations as a part of a broader crackdown. The residence enchancment retailer historically has been a spot documented and undocumented day laborers collect to choose up jobs as roofers, painters and building employees.
Thursday’s loss of life adopted that of a farmworker fatally injured in a fall throughout a chaotic ICE raid in July at a California hashish facility. It additionally got here because the Trump administration asks the Supreme Court to halt an order barring immigration authorities from stopping or arresting folks in and close to Los Angeles primarily based solely on elements like what language converse or the place they work.
At least 10 folks have been detained in the ICE operation in Monrovia, stated California Assemblymember John Harabedian, whose district contains town. He referred to as the incident “frightening and chaotic,” including in a press release:
“Raids like this do not make our streets safer – they terrorize families, instill fear, and put lives at risk.”
Home Depot wasn’t “notified that ICE activities are going to happen and we aren’t involved in the operations,” the retailer instructed NCS on Thursday.
The National Day Laborer Organizing Network stated it has related with Valdés’ household to offer help following his loss of life.
“We also want to support the workers who witnessed and experienced this horrible raid and tragic death,” stated the group, which advocates for day laborers, migrants and low-wage employees.