Freshman Rivas Fights Trump's Immigration Crackdown

A New Congresswoman’s Fight Against Immigration Raids

When Rep. Luz Rivas took her oath of office in January, she had no idea that the most devastating fires in Los Angeles history would ignite just days later. She was aware, however, that moving from the California State Legislature to Washington, D.C., with an unpredictable president and a Republican congressional majority, would present significant challenges.

Just over six months into her first year as a congresswoman, Rivas has already faced a direct threat to her community: an increase in federal immigration raids that began in June, targeting Latino neighborhoods across the Southland, including her district.

“I feel like it’s been six years,” Rivas said. “It is challenging to be a new member of Congress during this time, but that’s our job—to protect and defend our communities.”

Rivas is deeply committed to defending the San Fernando Valley community. Every time she returns home, she feels more motivated to fight for her constituents. On Monday, she visited the City of San Fernando City Council to speak directly with councilmembers and residents about the ICE raids and the steps her office is taking to combat President Donald Trump’s mass deportation policies.

“It’s important for elected officials at all levels of government to stand together against the threat that ICE poses to our communities,” Rivas told the San Fernando Valley Sun/el Sol in an exclusive interview.

Combating ICE Raids Through Community Outreach

Her office is working closely with local organizations to distribute “Know Your Rights” information, connect constituents with legal aid, and assist residents in locating missing loved ones by contacting federal facilities on their behalf.

Despite reports of masked federal agents indiscriminately kidnapping people off the streets and disregarding the rule of law, Rivas believes it is crucial for communities to understand their rights.

“If you don’t know your rights have been violated, how do you know whether you can complain or file a lawsuit?” Rivas asked. “Someone should know if their rights were not respected. Like me—when they didn’t let me into the detention center, I knew my rights were violated.”

After the first large-scale immigration raid in Los Angeles, Rivas joined three other members of Congress at the Edward R. Roybal Federal Building to conduct an oversight visit of the federal detention center. They were denied entry by U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and ICE personnel.

“My colleagues and I have been trying to get information regarding their operations and decision-making process before, during, or after ICE raids occur,” Rivas said. “We will continue asking these questions and demanding answers.”

She has also visited the Adelanto Detention Facility and written letters to DHS and ICE demanding accountability.

Demanding Transparency and Accountability

Recently, Rivas drafted a letter to Todd Lyons, acting director of ICE, and Rodney S. Scott, commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), requesting an in-person meeting to conduct direct and constructive oversight of recent raids in Los Angeles.

“ICE has used intimidation tactics that have sown fear and chaos in communities,” she wrote. “This sharp uptick in arrests and detainments by agents who are masked and in unmarked vehicles has not only instilled fear in communities, it has also not met the stated goal of this administration to target the ‘worst of the worst.’”

According to ICE detention data as of July 27, approximately 71% of those detained have no criminal conviction, and many of those convicted have committed only minor offenses, such as traffic violations.

In the letter, Rivas questioned how and who is conducting the often-violent operations, since agents refuse to identify themselves with visible labels or identification.

“Without the ability to properly identify agents involved, there is no way to adequately file detailed complaints or requests for investigation,” she wrote. “The lack of transparency is leading to confusion and misinformation about the use of ‘bounty hunters’ to conduct these raids.”

Pushing for Legislative Action

Lawsuits against the Trump administration have made some progress in protecting immigrants and citizens from being targeted and racially profiled by federal agents. Last Friday, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals denied the federal government’s appeal, upholding a Los Angeles district judge’s ruling that granted temporary restraining orders (TROs) preventing the government from stopping individuals in violation of the Fourth Amendment and requiring access to counsel for detained individuals.

“It’s a good step forward. I think it gave constituents or residents of Los Angeles and Los Angeles County hope that this could end,” said Rivas about the ruling. “But we need to keep our foot on the gas pedal.”

The Trump administration is expected to appeal the case to the U.S. Supreme Court, where the majority of justices were appointed by Republican presidents. If the case is overruled, the onus would fall on Congress to create protective legislation.

Rivas has signed off on seven bills aimed at curbing ICE’s power and holding the administration accountable. These include the No Secret Police Act, which would require ICE, DHS, and CBP agents to display proper identification and ban the use of face coverings; the Protecting Sensitive Locations Act, which would prevent federal agents from showing up at sensitive locations like schools, hospitals, and churches; and the Born in the USA Act, which would prohibit any funds from being used to implement Trump’s executive order to end birthright citizenship.

She has also cosponsored the American Dream and Promise Act, which aims to build pathways to citizenship for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Temporary Protected Status (TPS) recipients.

A Continued Commitment to Her Community

It has been almost 40 years—under both Democrat and Republican-led legislatures—since the last comprehensive piece of immigration reform was passed.

Being the minority party in Congress, Rivas acknowledges that passing these laws can be more difficult than when she was a State Assemblywoman working with a supermajority in the state legislature.

“The mission stays the same. The issues and priorities I have are the same as I had as a state legislator,” she reassured. “It’s just going to take longer to achieve them and work towards them in Congress.”

Rivas is learning from and collaborating with her colleagues, and remains determined to keep fighting for the Latino communities in the San Fernando Valley.

“It’s obvious that these agents are engaging in racial profiling in our communities, and that’s one of the biggest reasons I’m involved—because it’s directly affecting the 29th district,” she said.

Constituents who are legal permanent residents and even U.S. citizens born in this country have expressed concern to the congresswoman—afraid that if they are not carrying proof of their legal status or a birth certificate, they too will be unjustly detained simply because of the color of their skin or the language they speak.

“We can’t let Trump define who an American is,” Rivas said.