Community march highlights economic toll of ICE raids in Los Angeles

By: Hermes Padilla, Staff Writer

Jamie Morales, a street vendor in the San Fernando Valley, Plans his vending route to reduce risk amid ongoing ICE raids. (Brian Griffin for the Valley Star)

Los Angeles County is home to an estimated 950,000 undocumented immigrants. With the recent ICE raids causing economic hardships, there has been an influx of marches to protest the impact they have had for undocumented workers and their families. 

“¡La gente unida, jamás será vencida!” echoed across the Sixth Street Bridge on Oct. 4, as hundreds of people, along with more than 30 immigrant rights organizations, labor union and clergy members, marched to denounce the raids.

“We are marching today to denounce cruelty,” said Angelica Salas, executive director of CHIRLA, regarding the ICE raids. “They are investing money to attack, when we can be investing in care.” 

For Jaime Morales, a 35-year-old ice cream vendor from Mexico, the raids have drastically reshaped daily life. Instead of freely selling on busy streets, Morales now travels between select locations, carefully avoiding federal agents. “It’s scary because since the ICE raids started, I’ve had it tough financially,” he said. “Back in July, I didn’t even go out to sell out of fear, so I got behind on rent and bills. I’ve spent the past months trying to catch up, but even now, I cannot sell the way I used to. I notice I earn $200–$300 less per month.”

His story highlights a broader pattern: raids disrupt workplaces, create uncertainty and force families to make hard choices to pay for basic needs. 

For many, income alone is not enough. More than 67% of undocumented households in Los Angeles County spend more than a third of their income on rent, which places many families at risks of eviction or houselessness, placing many in dire need for assistance.

To help alleviate the burden, local officials moved to provide relief with the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approving a $30 million rent relief package for families impacted by the raids and recent wildfires. While this assistance will provide a cushion for some, implementation can take up to 90 days, leaving many households in limbo.

Meanwhile, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) received a budget increase. “They are investing $107 billion in DHS, when we could be investing in keeping our communities safe and housed,” said Yvonne Wheeler, president of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor. “For families who have lost a breadwinner, we are looking to garner further support to help people replace what they can, because sentimental things can’t be replaced.”

With a state of emergency having been implemented for Los Angeles County this week, there are many families left uncertain when the economic toll they are experiencing will end. 

For Morales, his mental strain mirrors the financial stress. “It’s tiring and it’s not how I should have to live.”