Unmarked SUV Men Snatch Day Laborers from Concord Home Depot Parking Lot
Concerns are growing in Concord, California about possible immigration enforcement operations after day laborers reported seeing several people taken away by unidentified agents at a Home Depot on Meridian Park Boulevard. The reports surfaced on Wednesday morning, and local immigration advocates have been raising alarms.
A video circulating online appears to show a group of men standing next to an unmarked SUV in the parking lot, but no uniforms or visible law enforcement markings are seen. A rapid response team member who spoke with day laborers said that multiple people were arrested by agents in plain clothing, and witnesses described the scene as chaotic.
At a rally on Thursday in the Home Depot parking lot, a coalition of nonprofit organizations voiced concerns about the reported arrests. 'He took some videos of the agents, masked, in plain clothing, and he was also able to interview some of the day laborers,' said Brian Ibarra, a dispatcher with the Concord Rapid Response Team.
Agencies have denied involvement, with the Concord police saying they do not work with immigration enforcement agencies. ICE and U.S. Customs and Border Protection also stated that their agents did not make any arrests at the location on Wednesday. The Department of Homeland Security had not responded to a request for comment by the time of publication.