Latest news with #RosalinaLunaVargas
Daily Mail
01-07-2025
- Daily Mail
Distressing video shows ICE agents seize California mother while her children cling to her arms
A mother was filmed being seized by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents while her distressed adult children clung to her arms in a bid to stop her from being taken. The woman, identified as Rosalina Luna Vargas, was seen in video shared by a stunned witness being swept up on the streets of Pasadena, California at around 7:30am Saturday. Vargas's sons Bayardo and Alejandro held onto their mother as masked ICE agents tried to take her into custody, demanding to see a warrant that the agents apparently didn't have. 'We're not going to let her go! Get your hands off my mom!' they could be heard saying. 'Let me see a warrant.' A witness who shared the video online said one of the agents claimed to have a warrant but did not show it. Vargas' immigration status is unclear and her family claim she was lifted in a case of mistaken identity. All her children are US citizens. Pasadena Police were called to the scene by a witness who reported what she believed to be a kidnapping, and Pasadena Fire also responded to evaluate Vargas, who declined to go to hospital, reports ABC7. At one point during the altercation that was not caught on camera, Vargas got away from the agents and ran to the Del Mar Park Assisted Living facility, where an employee told the agents they could not remain on private property without a warrant. Vargas's sons Bayardo and Alejandro (pictured together) held onto their mother as masked ICE agents tried to take her into custody in the footage When the agents returned with a warrant, one of Vargas' children alleged that it was for a different person. ICE agents took Vargas anyway. The footage quickly circulated Vargas' community in California and sparked an outpouring of support, with locals holding a rally on Monday to condemn the 'senseless aggression of the Trump administration.' Vargas' son Bayardo, 20, broke down as he addressed the crowd at the event, and said he is now the legal guardian for his brother Alejandro, 17, with their mother in custody. 'It's been a very traumatic experience for me and my brother and my family,' he said. 'I was just gonna try to defend my mother as best as I can and will do that til the end of time.' Alejandro added: 'She's a hard-working woman, main breadwinner, everything, the whole nine yards. And out of all the people I know, she doesn't deserve this, nor does any other family in this community.' Pasadena Police Chief Gene Harris told ABC7 that the agents were found to be legitimate ICE agents after the witness called in a kidnapping. 'Officers and a Supervisor responded to evaluate the circumstances and discovered it was an ICE operation and PPD verified their identification,' he said. 'The agents detained one female without incident and PPD did not assist ICE in the apprehension as PPD was solely there for the call for service.' Harris added that cops remained at the scene due to the commotion to 'provide for public safety as a small group gathered.' After it was allegedly discovered that the warrant was for a different person, the witness said on Reddit, where they posted the video, that Vargas was 'in the wrong place at the wrong time.' At the rally on Monday, Reverend Patricia O'Reilly led members of the local clergy to show support for Vargas and her family. 'I think it's horrendous that this woman was picked up. They said they had a warrant. Evidently, it was for someone else. She was picked up on private property,' she said. 'This is outrageous - this is not our country.' According to ABC7, six Republican State Senators in California sent a letter to President Trump following Vargas' arrest urging him to stop raiding workplaces and sweeping up people like Vargas. The group of Republicans urged Trump to focus his deportation crackdown on people with criminal records.
Yahoo
30-06-2025
- Yahoo
ICE agents detain mother in Pasadena in front of children without showing a warrant
A mother walking with her children in Pasadena was taken into custody by immigration agents over the weekend in an incident that was partially captured on video and has drawn sharp criticism from witnesses. Rosalina Luna Vargas, a mother of two and the primary breadwinner for her family, was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers on Saturday morning around 8 a.m., according to bystanders. Her children were present at the time of the incident, which took place in broad daylight in the corner of Catalina and Del Mar. The encounter was recorded by Jillian Reed, a Caltech alum and local resident, who was driving by when she noticed a commotion on the sidewalk. In the footage she captured, three individuals in plain clothes—two of whom were masked and wore badges on lanyards—can be seen attempting to force Vargas into an unmarked Honda Accord. A third man, appearing younger and without any visible identification, also participated. 'I saw the commotion while driving, and when I slowed down, the kids shouted for help,' Reed said. 'They kept asking for a warrant. They told the officers they would stop resisting if they just showed them a warrant. One of the men said he had one but didn't show it.' The video cuts off just as Vargas's daughter pleads with Reed to call the police. According to Reed, she did call 911, reporting what she believed at the time to be a possible kidnapping. As the situation escalated, Vargas allegedly broke free from the agents and ran into the courtyard of the nearby Del Mar Park Assisted Living Facility, with her children following close behind. The agents pursued, but were confronted again by the children, who physically tried to shield their mother. 'They formed a human wall,' Reed said. 'One of the kids clung to her, telling her, 'Don't let go! Don't let go!' while crying. Then he started shouting to the crowd, 'I can't lose my mom!'' Reed said the staff at the assisted living facility intervened, telling the agents they were on private property and could not proceed without a warrant. The agents, she said, took photos of everyone present—including Reed—before leaving in two separate vehicles. Pasadena police later arrived and took statements from those at the scene. According to Reed, ICE agents returned later and took Vargas into custody. A family member told Reed the warrant in question was for someone else entirely, and that Vargas and her children had simply been 'in the wrong place at the wrong time.' Community members say the incident highlights growing concerns over ICE's arrest tactics and the lack of transparency in operations conducted in public areas without coordination with local law enforcement. Reed, still shaken, called the incident 'horrific' and questioned whether law enforcement procedures were followed. 'Only two of the three men had badges, and none were in uniform,' she said. 'I didn't know if I was witnessing a hate crime or a kidnapping. And because they might have been law enforcement, I wasn't even sure whether to call the police.' ICE has not publicly released details about the arrest, including the charges or the identity of the agents involved. The incident comes as federal immigration enforcement actions have intensified in parts of Southern California, prompting backlash in immigrant communities and renewed debate about due process, civil rights, and the rights of children in enforcement situations. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
