ICE raided their city, taking parents, spouses and friends. That’s not where it ends
ICE Raids Reshape Los Angeles Communities
When ICE raided their city taking families apart
ICE raided their city taking parents, spouses, and friends from their homes and workplaces. Last summer, Los Angeles witnessed an extraordinary surge in immigration enforcement that transformed daily life for thousands of residents. Masked agents moved through neighborhoods with precision, detaining individuals at street corners, job sites, parking facilities, and retail locations. Among those removed were partners, breadwinners, grandparents, and young children—car wash employees and café patrons alike. These community members were arrested, placed in detention centers, and ultimately deported, disappearing from their neighborhoods within days.
These Los Angeles operations represented a pivotal moment in President Donald Trump's expanded deportation program. In the wake of these raids, federal authorities broadened and strengthened immigration enforcement in additional metropolitan areas, extending operations to Chicago, Washington DC, Portland, and Minneapolis.
When ICE raided their city taking loved ones
One family caught in this wave is Noémi's, whose existence changed dramatically when her husband Jesús was detained. Each dawn, he now rouses her through telephone calls instead of his customary gentle touch and kiss. "Wake up, love," he tells her through the phone.
"He is my first love, my love at first sight," Noémi remembered, recounting how she first encountered him at sixteen—thick hair, square jaw—playing soccer beyond their Inglewood apartment building.
Jesús then contacts their four children: Dhelainy, sixteen; Esther, fifteen; Angel, eleven; and Gabriel, six. He gently dismisses their requests for additional sleep, reminding them that school must begin.
Before immigration officers arrived at the Westchester Hand Wash, where Jesús worked for ten years, he would have made breakfast and coffee for everyone. Today, he lives in Kiní, Mexico—a location he previously inhabited before moving to Los Angeles in 1992, where he found Noémi and established his life.
Legal efforts to restore family connections
Right after Jesús's detention, Noémi pursued legal help to maintain family cohesion. As a spouse and father to U.S. citizens, Jesús qualified for legal residency applications. Yet challenges emerged during his confinement. Without his eyeglasses, immigration officials urged him to sign paperwork, and he inadvertently gave up his permission to stay in the United States.
Following these events, Noémi and the children journeyed to Kiní to see Jesús. They contemplated relocating the whole family to Mexico but decided that remaining in Inglewood would provide better educational opportunities for the children.
"When we become parents, we want them to do and have everything we didn't get the opportunity to do," Noémi stated.
Adapting to life without Jesús
The household's everyday routines now seem somewhat disrupted. Noémi especially longs for their midday tradition, when Jesús would frequently bring tacos or takeout for them to enjoy together. He continues calling her at noon, and they converse while she eats.
Dhelainy has assumed additional duties, such as walking the family dogs, Booka and Benji, each evening. "Now I always call my dad when I walk them," she noted. She has also emerged as an advocate, recently visiting Sacramento to discuss their family's situation and support immigrant rights. She is contemplating becoming an immigration attorney.
The children maintain their numerous pursuits—Dhelainy examines law and political science at community college, while Esther concentrates on software engineering. All four children engage in musical instruction spanning trumpet, bassoon, violin, cello, and piano, plus guitar. They also join dance sessions and compete in various sports including soccer, basketball, baseball, and football.
Angel, who misses Saturday training with his father, now frequently involves Gabriel in their activities. "It's always play, play, play outside," Angel joked, while Gabriel responded with laughter, his tongue showing through his missing front tooth. "I have other interests!"
Though Gabriel does not completely understand his father's absence, he has observed his mother crying and questioned why Jesús could not attend his kindergarten ceremony. "Because I have waited my entire life for that day," the boy said, causing Noémi to dry her eyes and smile.
The family has filed a petition requesting a green card for Jesús, hoping to bring their family back together.