SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — What started as a typical day at a quiet Linda Vista apartment complex quickly turned into something much more alarming and surreal for the people who live there as an immigration enforcement operation was carried inside the complex Wednesday.
“I was right on the scene as they arrived,” one neighbor recalled. “It was really a scary thing to witness.”
Residents say they were stunned when their community on Linda Vista Road was swarmed with marked and unmarked law enforcement vehicles at around 12 p.m.
A heavy police presence, flashing lights, and the sound of shouting just steps from their homes created a scene that many describe as frightening and hard to process.
For many residents, the situation hit a little too close to home.
“It was just disturbing all and all. Things just started escalating ... screaming back and forth,” said resident Bob Hansen.
“We’ve all seen people arrested, but I’ve never seen anyone deported or detained for that reason before. It hits home differently," Hansen added. "We’ve got a good community over here. Nobody causes any trouble.”
Several residents reached for their phones, capturing what they could on video, but not everyone felt safe enough to do so.
“My first instinct was to take my phone out and record something to show ICE was here,” one resident told ABC 10News. “But honestly, I didn’t feel like I had the right to record without putting myself at risk of being detained, and that’s a sad and scary thing to say in the United States.”
The incident has left shockwaves of fear and frustration lingering in the neighborhood.
“It makes me very angry,” a resident said. “And I’m scared for my other neighbors. You don’t have to know someone to care about them.”
ABC 10News reached out to the Department of Homeland Security for information about the operation. A spokesperson for ICE San Diego issued this statement:
“ICE San Diego is actively investigating immigration crimes in San Diego County; but due to our operational tempo and the increased interest in our agency, we are unable to research and respond to every rumor or discuss specifics of routine daily operations.”
In addition to ICE and Homeland Security Investigations agents, San Diego Police officers were also on scene. SDPD officials said officers were responding to a 911 call and were there to help keep the peace during the operation.
Among those who arrived at the scene quickly was local activist Arturo Gonzalez, who came to record what he could as fast as he could.
“I saw what was going on, and knowing that someone I had just spoken to on the phone was detained by ICE, even though they’re an American citizen, it was infuriating,” he said.
ABC 10News asked Homeland Security whether any U.S. citizens were detained during the operation, but DHS has not responded.
In the meantime, Gonzalez said families in the area say they’re taking precautions.
“I’m seeing a lot of families planning for the worst. That’s really all we can do right now," Gonzalez.
