Southern California Car Wash Raids Detain Over 250 Workers

Identified linkable resources in order of appearance:
1. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (mentioned in text)
2. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement website (same resource phrase)
3. https://www.ice.gov (same)

According to the rules, only the first mention of each resource in the article body text should be linked, using the exact resource name as it appears. They are the same resource, so link only the first mention. I will add a single .gov link for the first occurrence: “U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement” linking to https://www.ice.gov.

Updated article with the government link added (only that one change, all other content preserved):

(FROM LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA) Federal immigration agents have intensified enforcement at car washes across Southern California, with more than 250 workers detained and over 80 car washes in Los Angeles reportedly targeted since early September, according to worker advocates tracking the operations. The latest flashpoint came in Long Beach on September 13, 2025, when agents entered Bixby Knolls Car Wash and detained seven people — four women and three men — in a swift raid that witnesses say included blocked exits and arrests made without warrants. The response from local officials and community groups has been immediate and sharp.

The CLEAN Carwash Worker Center, which supports low-wage workers in the industry, said the pattern of immigration raids has pushed many families into crisis. Workers are skipping shifts, missing medical visits, and losing income as word spreads that agents are targeting car washes. Advocates describe a climate of fear that now stretches beyond individual sites, warning that the raids ripple through neighborhoods where a single lost paycheck can disrupt rent, childcare, and groceries.

Long Beach leaders moved to counter the fallout. Mayor Rex Richardson called the actions “cruel and unacceptable,” and said the city would explore legal options to push back on U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations. City officials also canceled the 2025 Día de los Muertos Parade, citing public safety concerns tied to potential enforcement. The cancellation underscores how the effects of these immigration raids now reach far past the workplace, touching cultural life and small businesses that depend on large community events.

Supreme Court Ruling and New Enforcement Tactics

Worker advocates link the surge to a recent Supreme Court ruling that allows immigration authorities to resume mobile patrols in Los Angeles and several other California counties. Organizers and local attorneys say these patrols heighten the risk that people may be stopped based on appearance or location, a fear that has stoked anxiety among immigrant communities.

The ruling has given agents greater flexibility in the field, and according to advocates, has emboldened operations at car washes vulnerable to sudden sweeps. At Bixby Knolls Car Wash in Long Beach, witnesses said agents surrounded the property and moved quickly to detain workers on site. CLEAN Carwash Worker Center representatives said they received multiple reports that no warrants were presented during the detentions.

The organization has since increased outreach to car wash workers across the region, documenting arrests and tracking the number of targeted sites. They say the count of over 250 detentions in Southern California continues to rise as new reports arrive daily.

“The ruling has given agents greater flexibility in the field,” advocates say, increasing the likelihood of sudden, disruptive enforcement actions that affect whole neighborhoods.

Community Response and Economic Strain

Community groups are forming “community patrols” to alert workers if agents approach. These patrols, organizers say, act as watch groups near car washes and other known gathering points, using phone trees and messaging apps to warn workers and nearby businesses.

• Purpose of community patrols:
  • Provide early warning so workers can step away from a site or contact family
  • Reduce surprise and panic during enforcement actions
  • Document incidents for later legal or community response

Local nonprofit leaders warn the fallout could grow. James Suazo of Long Beach Forward urged donations to help pay rent and cover basic needs for families losing income. He said the fear created by these enforcement actions weakens public safety and local economies, as people avoid clinics, schools, and public places out of worry they’ll be targeted.

The disruption at car washes also hits small business owners, who face:
– Lower foot traffic
– Staffing shortages
– Community backlash even when unaware of pending operations

According to CLEAN Carwash Worker Center’s Flor Melendrez, community vigilance has become essential. She urged residents to document raids safely, share verified information with workers, and keep watch around high-risk sites. The group’s organizers say they are coordinating with legal aid partners, although they caution that direct intervention during an enforcement action isn’t possible. Their immediate goal is to reduce harm by spreading reliable alerts and helping families plan for emergencies.

City officials in Long Beach say they’re now working with other California cities to explore legal challenges to these practices, even after the Supreme Court ruling. Attorneys advising local leaders note that while federal law controls immigration enforcement, cities can still examine whether certain tactics violate state or local standards, or trigger civil rights concerns.

• Officials’ next steps may include:
  1. Coordinating with neighboring cities and civil-rights partners
  2. Documenting incidents and gathering evidence
  3. Pursuing legal review of potential state or local law violations

Officials have not released a timeline, but they’ve emphasized that any approach would require coordination, documentation, and resources.

How Daily Life Is Being Affected

The raids have reshaped daily routines in neighborhoods that rely on car washes for steady work. Workers who were not detained say they’re staying home or switching locations, hoping to avoid swept operations. Some report rescheduling essential appointments, including medical care, to avoid leaving their homes.

• Reported impacts on workers and families:
  • Missed shifts and lost income
  • Canceled or delayed medical visits and appointments
  • Children worried about parents coming home from work
  • Emotional strain and increased household insecurity

Cleaners and cashiers who depend on tips say they’ve seen a drop in customers who fear being near a potential raid. Families describe children asking if their parents will come home from work, adding emotional strain to already tight budgets.

While ICE has not issued a public statement specific to the Long Beach operation, the agency maintains on its official website that it conducts enforcement consistent with federal law and agency priorities. For official information on ICE enforcement and policy, readers can review agency materials at the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement website.

Local advocates counter that worksite actions at car washes rarely net high-priority cases but do leave communities on edge, pressing for policy changes at the federal level.

Industry-Wide Consequences

The stakes are high for the car wash industry, where low wages, seasonal work, and cash-based tips leave workers with little cushion. Owners also face uncertainty as labor pools shift, managers lose experienced staff, and customers reconsider visiting sites that recently saw immigration raids.

• Concerns for owners:
  • Long-term loss of clientele after reports of detentions
  • Fear that public statements could attract more federal attention
  • Difficulty recruiting and retaining workers

As the situation evolves, community organizations are expanding volunteer lists to monitor and document future raids, gather impact stories, and connect affected families with local aid. Organizers say these volunteers play a key role in recording times, locations, and reported tactics at car washes, especially in Long Beach, South Los Angeles, and the San Fernando Valley.

They also emphasize the importance of sharing confirmed details, as rumors can spread quickly and create more fear than facts support.

Analysis and Outlook

According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, the pattern of immigration raids at car washes in Southern California reflects wider tensions between federal enforcement and local governments in the 🇺🇸. The outlet’s reporting notes that targeted operations can reshape worker behavior in whole sectors, not just at a single site, and that the aftermath often includes long-term household debt, school absences, and health setbacks.

For now, advocates expect stepped-up enforcement to continue, citing reports of new mobile patrols and unannounced visits. Long Beach officials say they’ll keep coordinating with neighboring cities and civil rights partners to review possible responses.

Community groups plan more training for volunteers and will maintain patrols around car washes they believe are at higher risk of immigration raids. Families in Long Beach, meanwhile, continue to brace for what comes next.

Key takeaway: The recent enforcement actions have had immediate human and economic impacts — from detentions and cancelled cultural events to long-term fears that affect health, schooling, and local commerce — prompting coordinated community, legal, and civic responses.