Orange County elected officials called on the public to demonstrate peacefully following a night of at-times rocky skirmishes between law enforcement and protesters against the Trump administration’s Southland immigration raids.
The officials also condemned the Trump administration’s enforcement of his immigration policies and encouraged the public to join the OC Rapid Response Network to resist deportations.
“Our community is facing an existential threat,” Orange County Supervisor Vicente Sarmiento told a crowd of supporters at the Old Orange County Courthouse in Santa Ana.
Sarmiento said the federal government is “scapegoating” migrants for societal ills and instead of deporting criminals as Trump campaigned on his administration has pivoted to a “sick goal of removing honest, hardworking people.”
Sarmiento encouraged further protests, but he added, “We must resist smartly and peacefully. Let’s not take the bait.”
Sarmiento said the military has been sent to Santa Ana to “provoke a violent reaction, but we will be strategic.”
Sarmiento called on the National Guard and Marines to “stop occupying our community immediately.”
Santa Ana Mayor Pro Tem Benjamin Vazquez said “ICE agents have invaded our streets,” and said the “true violence is not committed by the protesters, but by ICE agents” who separate people from their families.
“This is not justice. It is cruelty,” Vazquez said. “Santa Ana is and will remain a Sanctuary City… We will continue to fight and support all of our residents.”
Santa Ana Councilwoman Jessie Lopez said, “We’re living under a fascist government. They’re chipping away at our civil rights.”
Monday’s protests occurred after federal authorities carried out an unspecified number of raids in Santa Ana on Monday, including one that saw ICE officials at the Home Depot at MacArthur and Harbor boulevards, NBC4 reported, detaining an unspecified number of people outside the store.
Sarmiento said he “consoled” a woman whose uncle was detained by ICE agents at a Home Depot in Santa Ana.
Rep. Lou Correa, D-Santa Ana, said Monday’s raids prompted him to head back to the airport in Washington, D.C. to return to Orange County, where he held a Tuesday morning news conference.
Correa claimed that many residents who are complying with the law and attending removal hearings were getting re-arrested despite having their cases dismissed by an immigration judge.
“What’s going on is they’re coming in for their removal cases and in many cases the judges are dismissing removal cases and then they immediately turn around and put them back in custody in an expedited removal process,” Correa said.
Correa said he returned to Santa Ana on Sunday and toured immigration services.
“I was there Sunday. I was down at the Civic Center,” Correa said. “It was boring. It was quiet. That’s the way we like Santa Ana — boring and quiet.”
When he checked on immigration services, “They weren’t near capacity. The detainees are being treated well. And I actually saw the Mexican consulate there doing interviews with those in custody. They were all respectful and the federal agents all respectful. And I left today. I got to Washington, D.C., a few hours ago and my phone is ringing off the hook. I’m getting bombarded.
“The best I can figure is this administration is not meeting their deportation numbers and they’re not even close to meeting them and they’re going Defcon Three and doing everything they can to deport people,” Correa said.
Correa implored protesters to stay peaceful, saying acts of violence could backfire in getting the general public to support their cause.
“You want to get your message across and affect change, but do it smart,” Correa said. “Gandhi, Martin Luther King — lawful peaceful protest. You don’t take on an (assault rifle) or Glock. It doesn’t work. Continue to show your displeasure, your anger, your First Amendment rights, but do it within the law and do it peacefully.”
The demonstrations began Monday near the Santa Ana Federal Building, where several people were arrested, and by nightfall had moved to the Ronald Reagan Federal Building and Courthouse at 411 W. Fourth St.
Police declared an unlawful assembly at around 8:30 p.m. Monday as some protesters continued to hurl fireworks and objects including bottle rockets at local and federal authorities, who responded with tear gas and other crowd-control weapons.
Orange County sheriff’s deputies joined the fray, and authorities began moving the crowd away from the federal courthouse, which was heavily damaged by graffiti and other vandalism.
The exact number of arrests was unclear Monday evening.
“The situation has escalated, and what began as a lawful assembly around the Civic Center Plaza, has escalated into objects being thrown towards officers and other members of the public, posing a risk to public safety, property, and the well-being of our community,” the city of Santa Ana said in a post on X at about 9 p.m.
“In response, federal agents have deployed less-lethal ammunition, including tear gas, pepper balls, and rubber bullets.”
A woman who said she was a nurse volunteering at the scene told City News Service that multiple people were treated for injuries suffered when law enforcement fired rubber bullets at the crowd.
Earlier, about 200 activists waving flags and carrying signs congregated around Santa Ana Boulevard and Flower Street, chanting slogans such as “No ICE, no KKK, no fascist USA” to protest the Trump administration’s recent immigration enforcement actions in Southern California, which included raids in Santa Ana on Monday.
“We are aware that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is currently conducting immigration enforcement action in the city of Santa Ana. We acknowledge that this news causes fear and uncertainty to many in our community,” the Santa Ana Police Department said in a statement.
“We want to ensure you that the city of Santa Ana is fully compliant with the State of California Values Act. The Santa Ana Police Department does NOT and will NOT participate in immigration enforcement efforts.”
However, Santa Ana police were engaged with trying to keep the peace near the Federal Building. The Santa Ana Civic Center is also home to an ICE facility, and some demonstrators were taken into custody by what appeared to be federal authorities in military-style gear.
By 11 p.m. things had apparently died down, with authorities pursuing a few stragglers near Main Street.
“When a peaceful demonstration escalates into rocks, bottles, mortars, and fireworks being used against public service personnel, and property is destroyed, it is no longer a lawful assembly. It is a violation of the law,” SAPD Chief Robert Rodriguez said in a statement late Monday night.
“We will not stand by while our city is put at risk. Santa Ana police officers, along with our mutual aid partners, are actively working to restore order. We urge everyone: go home,” he added.
Lopez attended the rally earlier Monday afternoon, saying she wanted to ensure the protesters were able to peacefully demonstrate.
“I’m here because many of my constituents’ hearts are breaking, they’re frustrated, they’re taking a stand,” Lopez said. “This is not how we want our tax dollars being used.”
She added, “We want to make sure they can convey their dissent.”
Lopez said she was also concerned that many of her constituents are “being tricked” to go to court for a routine matter so they can be “arrested in front of their families.”
Lopez said the city’s jails were being used over the weekend to house those arrested in the Los Angeles protests. The city has a contract with the U.S. Marshals Service to hold defendants scheduled for federal court hearings.
Lopez said she wants to review that contract, citing Santa Ana’s status as a sanctuary city.