Pasadena protests immigration raids as city cancels Saturday park programs

Pasadena protests more ICE raids

After reports that immigration officers detained four people in Pasadena on Saturday, the community came together to speak out against ICE and the raids.

PASADENA, Calif. - The city of Pasadena canceled programs at local parks on Saturday, after reports of immigration enforcement operations at one of the parks.

What we know:

The city announced the closures on social media on Saturday morning, after officials said they saw reports of immigration enforcement in the city.

"The City of Pasadena is canceling programming, including swim lessons and other programs at Villa Parke, Robinson Park and Victory Park today, Saturday, June 21, out of an abundance of caution after seeing social media posts of what appears to be federal enforcement activity at Villa Parke this morning and the potential escalation of conflict that unannounced federal enforcement activity causes," the post read.

Protests after feds detain 6 in Pasadena

The protests over immigration enforcement continues in Southern California.

The National Day Laborer Organizing Network organized a protest at Villa Parke Saturday. The organization says that federal agents arrested at least four people in Pasadena Saturday morning.

SUGGESTED: Pasadena ICE raid: 6 reportedly detained at bus stop

The backstory:

Pasadena has already been the target of federal immigration enforcement, after President Donald Trump ordered officials to increase raids in areas like Los Angeles.

On Wednesday, federal officials reportedly detained six people at a Pasadena bus stop on Wednesday. Another raid was reported near James Madison Elementary School that day. Federal officials told FOX 11 that no one was detained at that location.

Hundreds took to the streets this week to protest the operations in the city.

Rep. Chu: Raids are targeting everyday people, not criminals

Rep. Judy Chu, who represents the Pasadena area, said the Trump administration's ICE raids are targeting everyday people and not the criminals the administration had originally said they were after.

What they're saying:

Rep. Judy Chu, who represents Pasadena, said there have been "multiple alarming ICE operations" in her congressional district in recent weeks. On Wednesday evening, she tried to tour the Metropolitan Detention Center in downtown Los Angeles, which houses immigrant detainees, but didn't get in.  

"I explained that I was a member of Congress that had the legal right to go into any facility that the Department of Homeland Security is using to detain immigrants," Chu said. "And they alternately did not respond at all to me or said that I don't have the right… So they just ignored me. That is against the law of the land, and it is not right."

What's next:

Hundreds of community members gathered at Villa Parke Saturday night to protest the morning's arrest and the Trump administration's immigration policies.