A Los Angeles area church has accused federal immigration enforcement agents of causing “terror” and detaining a man volunteering at a church-run food bank.
Officials with the North Hills United Methodist Church say federal immigration agents forced their way onto church grounds during a food ministry, an event meant to provide meals to the community, on January 29.
“With sadness and pain in our hearts, we want to share that on January 29, our Beloved Church was desecrated by immigration agents who entered our property wearing masks and carrying weapons,” the church wrote on Facebook Sunday.
“Despite being asked not to enter, they did not respect our request and forced their way in. They ran throughout the church property among families, children and elderly people while we were serving our food ministry, among other ministries that we were forced to stop.” they added.
In a second post, the church said they were “devastated” by “the terror caused to our church.”
Church officials said a “beloved community member,” Carlos Chavez, was arrested during the raid.
Mayra Medina-Núñez, the executive director of a local nonprofit called The Refugee Children Center, told KTLA that Chavez attempted to “seek refuge” from agents on the church’s property.
“The agents did not hesitate to chase him, holding large firearms even as someone shouted that they were entering private property and that children, women and elders were present, many of them waiting in line for the food pantry,” Medina-Núñez said.
Medina-Núñez said that a truck and several fully masked agents carrying large firearms were positioned at the church’s parking lot exit.
“Their presence terrified children and families on sacred church grounds,” she added.
In a statement to The Independent, Homeland Security Spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said agents “did NOT target United Methodist Church or its parking lot in North Hills, California,” and that the activity was part of an “immigration enforcement operation in the area”
McLaughlin added that Chavez was “an illegal alien from Mexico who was previously removed from this country in 2016” and that he “chose to run from law enforcement, a federal crime, leading them on a foot chase before his arrest.”
Video footage shared by the church shows two agents chasing a man through a parking lot as someone calls out, “Why are you doing this?!”
One of the masked agents can be seen grabbing the man, identified by the church as Chavez, near his shoulders. Another agent wearing a full face mask, hat and glasses can then be seen coming over to help arrest the man.
“This is a church campus. You’re not welcome here,” someone tells the agents as they walk away with Chavez.
North Hills United Methodist Church Pastor Ervin Adin slammed “ICE’s senseless actions,” which disrupted not only the food drive but also an event for mothers and children in the community.
“Our food ministry is an expression of God’s love for the hungry and because of ICE’s senseless actions, we were forced to stop,” Aguilon said in a press release, per KTLA. “Another ministry that was interrupted was the activity in our church garden where mothers, young children and youths were all on church campus, prompting leaders to act and shelter all attendees in a secure room for more than four hours.”
“Imagine being a child and seeing your mother scared, crying and wondering what’s going on and having to confine yourself to a small room for hours,” Aguilon added.
Aguilon told KTLA that Chavez’s wife said he had already been deported to Mexico.
The Independent has reached out to the North Hills United Methodist Church for comment.
“On January 29, Border Patrol conducted an immigration enforcement operation in the area of Rayen Street and Sepulveda Boulevard that resulted in the arrest of Carlos Chavez-Guzman, an illegal alien from Mexico who was previously removed from this country in 2016. Chavez-Guzman chose to run from law enforcement, a federal crime, leading them on a foot chase before his arrest,” the statement from McLaughlin read. “This operation also resulted in the arrest of two other individuals from Mexico who have violated the immigration laws of our country. All three of these illegal aliens will remain in ICE custody pending removal.”
She added: “We encourage all illegal aliens to take control of their departure with the CBP Home App. The United States is offering illegal aliens $2,600 and a free flight to self-deport now. We encourage every person here illegally to take advantage of this offer and reserve the chance to come back to the U.S. the right legal way to live the American dream. If not, you will be arrested and deported without a chance to return,” McLaughlin said.
