Federal immigration agents make arrests at Home Depot in Hollywood

HOLLYWOOD, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents were seen Thursday morning making arrests at a Home Depot in Hollywood.

Witnesses say about 20 people were taken into custody at a Home Depot on Sunset Boulevard, near the 101 Freeway. The Department of Homeland Security said Thursday evening that 30 people were detained at this location.

Video also shows a federal immigration agent chase down a man on Wilton Place, forcing him to the ground and taking him into custody. That happened near the Home Depot, where more federal agents were seen taking people, mostly street vendors, into custody.

"I took the opportunity to treat them the same way they treat us. To scare them and show them we're not afraid, you know. We're going to stand up for our people and we're here to support one another, so I started driving around screaming and started just chasing them out," said Edwin Guevara.

Elias Garcia said his brother was in his delivery truck when witnesses told him federal agents busted out a window to detain him.

"Apparently there was a raid by ICE and he got detained. He's a US Citizen," Garcia said. "Before they took everything from him, he had sent me a quick text and then I tried following up with him, and nothing."

"I'm completely outraged," said L.A. City Councilman Hugo Soto Martinez, who represents this neighborhood. "It's completely despicable what is happening. And we're just trying to do as much as possible to support the families that are, right now, in the crosshairs of this administration."

It's been nearly two weeks since the raids began in Los Angeles, sparking protests across the city and beyond and prompting President Donald Trump to deploy National Guard troops and Marines to the L.A. area.

Also on Thursday, federal immigration agents were seen setting up a staging area near Dodger Stadium. In Glendale, federal agents arrived at a car wash where two people were taken into custody. One of those people was later released and brought back to the car wash.

To mark the Juneteenth holiday, faith leaders spoke out against the ICE raids.

"People are being hunted. People are being silenced. People are being stripped of their rights and humanity under the appearance of the law," said Bishop Byron Smith, of the Gethsemane Christian Love Missionary Baptist Church.