Recent protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations in Downey have led residents of this city to take to the streets to protest and question the lack of solidarity from their mayor, who is a Latina Republican and member of the ultraconservative MAGA movement.

“They don't represent the community, they are three or four people,” said Mayor Claudia Marroquin Frometa, during a brief interview with Telemundo while a noisy group of protesters shouted that she supports ICE and its operations in the community. “It's important for the community to know that we support them and we are listening to them,” said a nervous Mayor Marroquin Frometa, a Mexican-born US citizen who immigrated to the United States at age 14. The protesters against the presence of ICE and the Border Patrol in Downey took to the streets and marched to Downey City Hall to demand action from their mayor and council members. Outrage in the community has grown following a video captured by Victor Correa showing masked federal agents struggling with two gardeners, Uriel Diaz and Jose Solorio, on Saturday, January 10, in an attempt to arrest them. The scene Correa caused while filming prevented federal agents from taking the gardeners into custody.

Councilman and former Downey Mayor Mario Trujillo said it's clear the mayor doesn't want to use the city's platform to protect the community.

“As a prosecutor for 25 years, I am an expert on arrests; I know what an illegal arrest is, and the arrests made by federal agents against our people are not legal.”

Councilman Trujillo was heavily criticized when, after the murder of Charlie Kirk, he posted on social media that he would not hold mourning.

“The mayor says federal agents wouldn't be on the streets if California handed over criminals released from prison,when 70% of those detained by ICE haven't committed a crime.”

She lamented that in a city where the majority of voters are Democrats, the City Council is dominated by three Republican council members, two of them immigrants, Claudia Marroquin Frometa and Dorothy Pemberton, and also the Mexican-Peruvian Hector Sosa. The three of them are pro-Trump Republicans, while the only council members who support immigrants are Trujillo and Horacio Ortiz.

Lissette Rivera, an activist from Downey, said that the cruel ICE operations are affecting the entire city, family, friends, and people who work for residents.

“The Supreme Court ruled that federal agents can racially profil, and as a veteran's wife and a mother, I'm worried because they could detain my husband, my children, and neighbors,” said Lissette, who has lived in Downey for 18 years.

“I feel sad and worried for my town, for the children who are seeing all this. MAGA supporter, not even a Republican, because she asserted that many Republicans disagree with what Trump is doing.

"She attended a private party with more than 50 MAGA people where they did the 'Get Out' dance. I'd like to know what her process was to become a resident because she came to the United States at 14 on a tourist visa. When her visa expired, did she become a resident? Did she never lose her status? It's a shame that as mayor of a Latino city, she speaks ill of her own people and turns her back on them."

Victor Correa, a Downey resident who recorded a video showing federal agents trying to take the two gardeners, said that on Saturday, January 10, while crossing Benares and Ryerson streets, he witnessed the attempted kidnapping of the workers.

One of them is a permanent resident and has lived in the country for over 40 years; and the other had a work permit with him. “I was trying to film the incident, and the ICE agents pointed out pepper spray cans at me Fortunately, after making a lot of noise and drawing attention to the detention, the two gardeners were released and were able to return to their homes and families that night,” Victor recounted. Councilman Trujillo said that with the support of Victor and other community members, they are trying to organize to train and educate the Downey community so they know what to do when an immigration operation occurs.La Opinion sent a message to Mayor Claudia Marroquin Frometa to discuss the situation in her community, but she had not responded by late afternoon.