Faith leaders denounce ICE’s arrest of taco vendor in North Hills church parking lot

Faith Leaders
Photo credit KNX News 97.1 FM

Faith leaders on Monday denounced ICE agents chasing and arresting a taco vendor in a North Hills church parking lot.

It happened on January 29 in the parking lot of North Hills United Methodist Church. Faith. Video obtained by ABC-7 showed ICE agents chasing vendor and church member Carlos Chavez through the parking lot and arresting him.

Pastor Ervin Augilon said it happened during the church's food distribution ministry.

“We were serving with our full ministry that day, and our full ministry was forced to stop, and I feel that my sacred right to worship my Lord, my Jesus Christ, and to serve Him was violated,” he said.

In addition to faith leaders, Pastor Augilon was joined by L.A. City Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez.

Want to get caught up on what's happening in SoCal every weekday afternoon? Click to follow The L.A. Local wherever you get podcasts.

“Understand that the law of this land protects us with certain inalienable rights, and what happened here on Thursday was a violation of those rights,” she said.

Chavez's wife also attended with a translator. She said her husband, who has bronchitis and anxiety, was forced to sign papers to self-deport. He's now in Tijuana.

Follow KNX News 97.1 FM
Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | TikTok

Featured Image Photo Credit: KNX News 97.1 FM