Lawmakers urge DHS to “focus enforcement against those who pose a legitimate risk to public safety and to work with Congress on a pathway to citizenship for the immigrants who are essential to our economic success.”
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) joined Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, and Representative Norma Torres (D-Calif.-35) to condemn the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) indiscriminate immigration enforcement raids in Pomona, California as part of President Trump’s cruel mass deportation agenda that are terrorizing California communities and harming the economy. The lawmakers demanded answers on recent egregious DHS enforcement actions — without notice or coordination — including the arrest of at least 10 day laborers outside of a Home Depot, the detainment of a small business owner at gunpoint outside of his barbershop, and an enforcement raid at a Pomona auto body shop conducted with the Riverside County Sherriff’s department.
The lawmakers underscored the deep distrust and economic chaos these enforcement raids foster, hurting entire communities and national supply chains and keeping consumers at home out of fear.
“We write with deep concern regarding recent immigration enforcement actions conducted in Pomona, California, that have caused widespread fear, disrupted local businesses, and harmed community trust in law enforcement,” wrote the lawmakers.
“Enforcement actions that indiscriminately disrupt immigrant communities – particularly without transparency or local coordination – threaten not only individual rights but also the economic stability and public safety of entire cities like Pomona,” continued the lawmakers. “Pomona’s small businesses are already feeling the impact. Customers are afraid to shop. Workers are afraid to show up for work.”
The lawmakers highlighted that California’s economy — now the fourth largest in the world — relies on the contributions of immigrant labor, as immigrants and their children make up the majority (55 percent) of California’s workforce, with immigrants alone comprising 34 percent of the state’s population. Last year, undocumented immigrants contributed $87 billion in household income, $66 billion in spending power, $50 billion to Social Security, and $14 billion to Medicare. They emphasized that immigrant workers make up a significant portion of California’s leading agriculture, health care, and construction sectors. Immigrant construction workers comprise over 40 percent of California’s construction workforce and are already doing essential work to help Los Angeles County rebuild from the devastating wildfires earlier this year.
The lawmakers stressed that rather than indiscriminately targeting long-term residents with no criminal records, DHS should work with Congress to help provide these immigrants with a pathway to citizenship.
“While no one disagrees with targeting violent criminals for deportation, the enforcement actions in Pomona demonstrate that the Department is indiscriminately targeting all noncitizens for removal — including those who have no criminal records and who have been living in and contributing to our communities for decades,” added the lawmakers. “These actions do not make us safer and are contrary to the ideals that we all stand for. We urge you to instead focus enforcement against those who pose a legitimate risk to public safety and to work with Congress on a pathway to citizenship for the immigrants who are essential to our economic success.”
The lawmakers concluded their letter by demanding information on the raids, including why local officials were not notified and what steps DHS is taking to rebuild trust with immigrant communities.
“We urge your Department to review these operations carefully and to recommit to an immigration enforcement strategy that prioritizes public safety, upholds civil rights, and reflects the economic realities and moral values of our nation,” concluded the lawmakers.
Full text of the letter is available here and below.
Dear Secretary Noem,
We write with deep concern regarding recent immigration enforcement actions conducted in Pomona, California, that have caused widespread fear, disrupted local businesses, and harmed community trust in law enforcement.
According to press reports, the City of Pomona in our home state of California has been at the epicenter of recent immigration enforcement activity, much of which has been conducted without giving notice to local officials:
- On Tuesday, April 22, Martin Majin-Leon, a long-time resident and small business owner, was detained at gunpoint in front of his barbershop, terrorizing his family and community. He was released after 30 hours, but the trauma persists. Pomona Mayor Tim Sandoval expressed frustration, commenting to federal officials that they were “terrorizing our community.” Reports suggest DMV records may have played a role in his targeting, raising concerns about data-sharing between state agencies and federal immigration authorities.
- Meanwhile, that same day, federal immigration enforcement agents detained as many as 20 day laborers outside a Home Depot in Pomona, where witnesses saw agents arrive in marked and unmarked vehicles around 8 a.m. The Pomona Police Department had no prior knowledge of the operation, and conflicting reports have persisted regarding whether U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), or other federal law enforcement entities were responsible for the detentions.
- Later that week, on Friday, April 25, another major enforcement action occurred at Moon Auto Collision in Pomona, executed jointly by Riverside County Sheriff’s deputies and Homeland Security Special Response Teams under the auspices of a narcotics warrant. Pomona city officials, including Mayor Tim Sandoval, were given no prior notice. Mayor Sandoval, upon visiting the scene, underscored the devastating impact these operations have had on community trust and the economic health of local businesses.
Enforcement actions that indiscriminately disrupt immigrant communities – particularly without transparency or local coordination – threaten not only individual rights but also the economic stability and public safety of entire cities like Pomona. Pomona’s small businesses are already feeling the impact. Customers are afraid to shop. Workers are afraid to show up for work. One local business owner told reporters, “Customers are scared. They are not coming to buy anything. They are not coming to get repairs done.”
While no one disagrees with targeting violent criminals for deportation, the enforcement actions in Pomona demonstrate that the Department is indiscriminately targeting all noncitizens for removal — including those who have no criminal records and who have been living in and contributing to our communities for decades. These actions do not make us safer and are contrary to the ideals that we all stand for. We urge you to instead focus enforcement against those who pose a legitimate risk to public safety and to work with Congress on a pathway to citizenship for the immigrants who are essential to our economic success.
California’s economy – now the fourth largest in the world – demonstrates the strength and contributions of immigrant labor. Immigrants and their children comprise 55 percent of California’s workforce. Immigrants alone account for 34 percent of the state’s population and paid $168 billion in taxes last year, while generating over $400 billion in spending power. Undocumented immigrants contributed $87 billion in household income and $66 billion in spending power, alongside $50 billion to Social Security and $14 billion to Medicare.
Additionally, in the wake of the destructive wildfires that devastated Los Angeles County earlier this year, immigrant construction workers—who make up more than 40 percent of the workforce in California—are essential to the community’s ability to rebuild and recover. Put simply, in critical sectors such as agriculture, construction, and health care, immigrant workers are indispensable to our community.
Accordingly, we respectfully request answers to the following:
- Why weren’t local officials in Pomona notified about recent enforcement actions?
- Which federal law enforcement entities were involved in or aware of these enforcement actions?
- Has DHS responded to local law enforcement’s request for answers?
- What protocols exist to coordinate with local law enforcement and elected officials before conducting large-scale enforcement actions?
- How does DHS plan to comply with the April 29, 2025 court order from the Eastern District of California barring Border Patrol agents from detaining or arresting individuals without reasonable suspicion of illegal presence, as required by the Fourth Amendment?
- Was California Department of Motor Vehicles data accessed in the case of Martin Majin-Leon?
- What safeguards exist to prevent improper use of state data for immigration enforcement purposes?
- What steps is DHS taking to rebuild trust with immigrant communities that have been traumatized by these events?
We urge your Department to review these operations carefully and to recommit to an immigration enforcement strategy that prioritizes public safety, upholds civil rights, and reflects the economic realities and moral values of our nation.
Thank you for your prompt attention to this urgent matter.
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