**Significant Immigration Enforcement Activity Shakes Anaheim Community**
ANAHEIM, Calif. (KABC) — A community in Anaheim experienced the most significant immigration enforcement activity the area has seen in weeks on Sunday, city officials reported.
Border Patrol and allied agencies conducted roving enforcement along State College Boulevard near La Palma Avenue. Agents operating in unmarked vehicles and wearing face masks were seen detaining at least five people, including employees and customers of local businesses.
Three of the detainments occurred at the Ponce Recycling Center. Edwin Cruz, an employee at the center, described the scene:
“They went inside and they took around three of our workers. It was very scary, very worrying to come into work and have that fear of, you know, you’re never fully safe. Always gotta be on the lookout.”
Officials also confirmed that a flower vendor on State College Boulevard, along with potentially other street vendors in west Anaheim, were detained during the enforcement sweep.
Anthony Beza, another Ponce Recycling Center employee, expressed frustration on behalf of the community:
“People don’t understand that we’re just trying to be working and being the best person but they don’t get that.”
The enforcement activities continued through the day, prompting people to run down the street. Drivers honked their horns to alert those nearby of the ongoing presence of authorities.
Joseph Solano, owner of Alma Tattoo Company located nearby, witnessed the events firsthand.
“It was horrible yesterday,” he said. “Like people running away from a hurricane or something because it was a lot of people just running up and down and then that’s when they hit here and everybody just started hiding.”
Due to the continued enforcement, Solano has decided to keep the front door of his brand new business locked for safety.
“This is just devastating the local economy because now no one’s walking around at all,” he added.
Cell phone video captured officers moving to the parking lot of The Anaheim Car Wash and Valvoline, where activists and employees confronted them, demanding they leave private property.
Omar Cea, an employee at The Anaheim Car Wash, described the sudden appearance of agents:
“We’re just like doing our regular work and everything not really worried about it so then an SUV just came darting right in here. It feels like we all kind of come together, you know, everyone’s like letting us know. Because I know they were down the street too. They were down like different areas.”
Video shows one officer running through the car wash parking lot and another pushing people near their vehicles. One man was detained in the Valvoline parking lot but was later released after staff confirmed he was a United States citizen.
“They were here probably only five minutes,” Cea said. “I feel it was more like an intimidation type of thing.”
ABC7 has reached out to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for comment but has not received a response so far.
https://abc7.com/post/immigration-enforcement-activity-ramps-up-in-anaheim/18434709/