A federal agent at the U.S Immigration Court as agents detain people after their immigration court hearings on May 21, 2025, in Phoenix.
Sacramento, California – California is poised to consider new statewide legislation that would mandate clear identification from agents participating in immigration enforcement activities, a direct response to a surge in contentious raids across Southern California. Sponsored by State Senator Sasha Renée Pérez (D-Pasadena) and Pasadena Mayor Victor M. Gordo, the proposed law aims to “reinforce the importance of law enforcement properly identifying themselves during enforcement actions,” according to a joint media release. This legislative push comes amidst growing alarm within communities, fueled by “recent incidents involving individuals impersonating law enforcement officers [that] have created confusion, fear and mistrust.”
A series of highly publicized immigration raids in recent weeks has made the passage of the bill all the more urgent. Surveillance footage from June 12, 2025, captured masked and heavily armed agents surrounding a tow truck shop in Montebello. Just two days later, similar scenes unfolded at a Santa Fe Springs Swap Meet, where dozens of masked agents, many deploying physical force, were observed taking individuals into custody. These operations have often involved agents operating unmarked vehicles without readily visible credentials or agency affiliation, leading to significant community distress and charges of irregular conduct.
Several specific incidents have amplified the calls for greater transparency and accountability. On June 12 in Hawthorne, a pregnant U.S. citizen, Cary López Alvarado, was reportedly pinned against a truck and handcuffed before being detained. She gave birth four days later, while authorities transferred the baby’s father and Alvarado’s cousin to a facility in Texas. Another case in Orange County saw men wearing U.S. Border Patrol vests reportedly striking a man, a father of three U.S. Marines, before forcing him into an unmarked vehicle. These tactics have drawn sharp rebukes from local officials, with Huntington Park Mayor Arturo Flores condemning them as “masked abductions” and directing his city’s police to intervene in any unlawful or unauthorized operations.
Mayor Flores, whose city recently saw a raid attended by U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem that sparked outrage, has been particularly vocal. While federal agents asserted they were targeting a man with a criminal record, the home was occupied by a 28-year-old pregnant mother of four. Although the agents eventually left empty-handed, Flores has reported numerous other instances of masked, unidentified individuals allegedly “abducting residents in broad daylight.”
In a forceful statement, Mayor Flores demanded the “immediate cessation of these raids.” He instructed the Huntington Park Police Department to verify the identities and authority of any individuals conducting operations within city limits. He urged law enforcement to “investigate and intervene in any unauthorized operations that place public safety or civil liberties at risk,” declaring, “We cannot allow Wild West-style bounty hunter tactics to unfold unchecked on our streets.”
