Randros 
In a pair of swift and startling operations, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents descended on a bustling car wash in Chino Hills and a vital day laborer center in nearby Pomona on Thursday.
ICE detained at least eight immigrants—including a 60-year-old man still recovering from recent surgery.
The raids, captured on security footage and eyewitness accounts, have unleashed a wave of community outrage, with advocates decrying the targeting of hardworking individuals as a ruthless escalation in the federal government’s immigration enforcement.
The morning chaos unfolded around 10 a.m. at Grand Car Wash in Chino Hills, where employees were in the midst of a typical workday, polishing vehicles under the Southern California sun.
Security video showed federal agents—some masked—suddenly appearing amid the suds and squeegees, prompting immediate panic.
“I look up and there’s agents standing in front of me, staring at me,” recounted Natalie, a cashier at the facility who asked that her last name be withheld for safety reasons.
“I got nervous, and I looked around.
One of the employees, he passed by running, so when the agents saw him run, he ran after him.”
Workers were swiftly questioned about their citizenship and immigration status, turning a routine shift into a scene of terror.
Ramiro Orellana, a car wash employee, described the ordeal in Spanish: “They asked if I was a citizen. I said no. Then they asked if I had status. I said yes.
I showed them my work permit and my REAL ID, but they didn’t respect it, and they told me I was illegal.”
Orellana was briefly detained but released after agents verified his documents, a small mercy amid the broader sweep.
By afternoon, Grand Car Wash had shuttered its doors, leaving longtime patrons stunned and saddened.
“This is sad. It really is.
A lot of these people do work every day—seven days,” said Mike Gonzalez, a regular customer who chatted with employees during visits.
“I know because I talked to some of these guys.
It’s sad to see it happen.”
Pomona Day Labor Center Hit
Just a few miles away in Pomona, the Economic Opportunity Center (PEOC)—a nonprofit advocating for day laborers’ rights—faced a similar invasion.
Federal agents arrived early Thursday, detaining three men identified by witnesses and activists as Fernando Salazar, Benjamin Alcocer, and an unidentified third individual.
According to reports, the total number of detentions across both sites reached at least eight, with one particularly harrowing case involving a 60-year-old detainee who had undergone surgery just weeks prior.
Claudia Bautista, executive director of the PEOC, had braced for the worst.
“We knew this was going to happen,” she told reporters, her voice steady but laced with frustration.
“We know that day laborers are target number one for this administration.
We know that they have been going to Home Depots all over the place.
It was just a matter of when.”
Activists, tipped off by early morning alerts around 6 a.m., rushed to the scene by 9 a.m., staging protests outside the center and demanding an end to the raids.
Social media videos and eyewitness accounts documented the standoff, amplifying calls for ICE accountability.
Community Fights Back
These operations are part of a broader pattern of intensified ICE activity targeting low-wage sectors in Southern California, where day laborers and service workers form the backbone of local economies.
Recent months have seen similar sweeps at Home Depot parking lots, swap meets, and other informal hiring sites, leaving families fractured and businesses reeling.
Critics, including immigrant rights groups, argue the tactics sow fear in essential communities, while supporters point to enforcement of federal law amid record border crossings.
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