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A video of a recent immigration raid in Long Beach, California, is sparking widespread fury online after ICE agents detained multiple workers, some of whom were reportedly legal U.S. residents, at a local car wash. The video, now going viral on X, shows uniformed agents loading handcuffed individuals into white vans, as stunned bystanders question the legality of the operation.
The incident occurred Saturday at Bixby Knolls Car Wash on Wardlow Street, shocking longtime employees and customers alike. According to general manager Ramón Paz, seven workers were detained during the raid, including individuals from Mexico, El Salvador, and Honduras. “I’ve been working here for 46 years and I’ve never been through this,” Paz said, per NBC Los Angeles. “They took away seven good, honest, noble people. People who deserve to have a job.”
Paz also confirmed that at least four of those detained had documentation granting them legal status in the United States. “Some of them have papers. I spoke with them, but they told me they had to take them because they didn’t have a document proving that they were,” he explained.
Despite this, federal officials from the Department of Homeland Security later released a statement claiming the raid resulted in the arrest of “7 illegal aliens” who had violated immigration laws.
ICE Raid at Long Beach Car Wash Sparks Outrage
Over on X, a video is making its rounds, where it seems that one bystander challenged ICE agents, seemingly noting that detaining someone without confirming their status on the spot seemed like a violation of rights. An agent allegedly responded, “We’re going to take him and check. If he’s good, we’ll bring him back.”
The scene left many unsettled. “Here’s a great idea,” one social media user commented. “Why not check them on the spot and only take them if it is proven they are here illegally? Why stuff them in the car?” Another viewer posted bluntly, “It’s hard to believe this is America.”
The raid comes just days after the Supreme Court gave immigration authorities permission to resume mobile patrols in Los Angeles and seven other California counties. Critics say the decision opens the door for racial profiling and mass detentions based purely on appearance or location.
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Attorney Kathia Quirós warned that these operations often skip basic procedures, telling NBC, “All these raids have something in common: they are picking people up without even asking their names.” She also urged anyone at risk of detainment to carry valid documentation proving both identity and legal status.
Meanwhile, the public is slamming the optics and implications of the raid. “This entire organization is a complete embarrassment,” one individual wrote. “Picking up legal United States citizens, interrupting work, commerce, causing negative press and attention to the business… Trump is the only reason for the constant and consistent breakdown of the economy and the increasing amount of people who are fed up.”
