‘Living an American Nightmare’: Lasting Trauma of ICE Raids Revealed
Southern California residents and community leaders have delivered powerful testimony detailing the disastrous effects of Trump administration immigration raids, which have swept up US citizens and left communities living in fear. A congressional oversight hearing in Los Angeles on Monday heard harrowing accounts of alleged civil rights abuses and the ‘unlawful’ detention of Americans.
‘I Still Live With The Trauma Every Day’
One of the most striking testimonies came from Andrea Velez, an American citizen who described being arrested by masked immigration officials while on her way to work this summer. She reported being charged with assaulting an officer and held for two days in a federal detention centre, where detainees were forced to pay for a cup to access drinking water. The charges against her were ultimately dismissed due to a lack of evidence, according to her attorney.
"I still live with the trauma every day," Velez told the hearing, encapsulating the lasting psychological impact on those affected.
A Coordinated Crackdown and Its Consequences
The White House confirmed earlier this month that the federal government has arrested more than 150,000 undocumented immigrants and deported nearly 140,000 people since Trump took office. Southern California has become a focal point for this aggressive mass deportation campaign.
Federal agents have conducted operations at car washes, Home Depot stores, and near schools and workplaces, creating an atmosphere of terror that has left parks and churches empty. Critics have accused the government of ‘blatant racial profiling’ and widespread civil rights violations.
Democratic Representative Jasmine Crockett from Texas starkly summarised the situation: "Right now we are living an American nightmare."
Accountability and The Path Forward
Democratic California Congressman Robert Garcia emphasised the constitutional imperative behind the hearing. "Every person in our country has a right to due process, regardless of immigration status," he stated. "It’s critical that the Oversight Committee document and hold accountable those that are defying the constitution, violating civil rights, and terrorizing families and communities."
In response to these incidents, Garcia announced the creation of a new oversight dashboard to document verified incidents of possible misconduct and abuse during federal immigration enforcement operations.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass condemned the raids as "an attack from our own federal government" and pledged to defend every resident. "Reports that Angelenos, including US citizens, were forcibly held, physically attacked, and deprived of their freedom without cause are not only outrageous – they are intolerable," she said.
The US Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the allegations raised during the hearing.
