Trujillo pushes Downey to fight ICE

City of Downey photo

Councilman Mario Trujillo on Tuesday called for urgent action from the Downey City Council in response to recent immigration enforcement raids carried out by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Downey and throughout Southern California.

“I’d like to make a motion for a special meeting for this council to finally speak up against the injustices of the federal government,” Trujillo said during the council’s regular meeting. “I would like to have a special meeting and I want to talk about everything possible we can do to let the feds know that what they’re doing is unacceptable.”

Trujillo, an attorney and former prosecutor, said he wants the city to consider filing lawsuits or formal complaints, providing legal workshops for immigrant residents, and creating a fund to support those impacted by federal immigration actions.

“I want to talk about a lot of things because silence is complicity,” he said.

Trujillo’s remarks drew support from members of the public, including the family of Adrian Martinez, a 20-year-old Pico Rivera man who was arrested earlier this month after he intervened while ICE agents were questioning a man outside a Walmart in Pico Rivera.

Trujillo helped coordinate legal representation for Martinez following his arrest.

Councilman Horacio Ortiz also voiced concern over the raids, reaffirming his support for the immigrant community and urging residents to stay informed through official sources.

Councilwoman Claudia M. Frometa, while acknowledging the contributions of immigrants, emphasized the importance of following legal immigration procedures.

“I believe immigrants are a blessing to all nations, we contribute in significant ways,” Frometa wrote in a public Facebook post. “But we must follow the laws of legal migration. I don’t create federal law, and neither can I interfere with its enforcement... Our current immigration system is broken, and both parties, Republicans and Democrats, are at fault.”

Mayor Hector Sosa was absent from Tuesday’s meeting.