TORRANCE, CA — Border patrol personnel raided a South Bay car wash Sunday, targeting workers and leading to a heated exchange between the business owner and federal agents, according to a report by KTLA and video published over the weekend on social media.
It's unclear exactly what time the raid took place, but according to the report, at least four federal agents arrived at the Bubble Bath Hand Car Wash in Torrance and began surrounding workers. Video shows agents detaining at least one worker and taking a photo of another.
The owner of the business appears to be talking with the federal agents, telling them that they're acting like criminals, according to the report.
At one point, an agent replies, "Oh, we're acting like criminals? Do you own this place?"
When the owner responds by saying "yes," the agent says, "There are illegal aliens that are working at your operation," according to KTLA.
In a second video, a woman keeps telling the agents that they need to identify themselves, accusing the agents of trying to kidnap workers. The woman can then be heard advising a worker to avoid talking with the agents or signing any documents.
"You guys are not even ICE, you need to identify yourselves," the woman can be heard saying in the video on social media. "Can I see your badge, please?"
One agent can be heard telling the woman, "This is an immigration inspection. You can record all you want, just stay out of the way."
Eventually, the agents can be seen leaving the area.
Raids by federal agencies, including ICE and Border Patrol, have continued across the Southland over the last several weeks. On Thursday, six day laborers were detained during immigration enforcement operations.
These actions prompted the city to cancel park programming over the weekend "out of an abundance of caution," citing and the potential escalation of conflict that unannounced federal enforcement activity causes.
On Friday, immigration agents swarmed gardeners working on yards in the Inland Empire.
"They left the lawnmower running right here on the front lawn," Ontario resident Christopher Ames, who lives in the West Fifth Street and North Boulder Avenue area, told KTLA5 News. "They threw my gardeners' phones in their [work truck], along with the car keys, left everything open and just took off."