The Pasadena community has come together in support of Rosalina Luna Vargas, the mother of two, who ICE agents detained in front of her children, following an incident that has now gained significant attention due to a viral video. According to ABC7, the arrest occurred early Saturday morning, as federal agents attempted to forcefully take Vargas into custody while her sons and bystanders intervened, pleading to see a warrant.
Amid the chaotic scene which unfolded near Del Mar Boulevard and Catalina Avenue, witness accounts note that agents did not initially produce a warrant, only to return later with documentation—which the family asserts was for another person. One of Vargas's children, captured in the video, declared their intent to tirelessly fight for their mother, as reported by ABC7. In the face of this adversity, 20-year-old Bayardo Vargas has now taken on the role of legal guardian for his minor brother.
The detainment sparked immediate outcry and a subsequent vigil on Monday night, organized by the National Day Laborer Organizing Network, to protest the manner of Vargas's apprehension. "This is an outrage and all of these actions are inhumane," Rosalina’s son, Alejandro, told NBC Los Angeles. Amplifying the family's sentiment, Bayardo spoke of his mother's hardworking nature and dedication to their family's future.
Support further materialized on Monday evening where approximately 200 demonstrators rallied in support of Vargas, echoing the sentiments of her family and calling the arrest an indignity. NDLON founder Pablo Alvarado voiced a sternly message at the rally: "We’ve been abandoned by Washington, by the courts, by the business community who want our labor but not our humanity," Alvarado said, according to Pasadena Now. A GoFundMe page has also been established to assist the Vargas family in this tumultuous period, rallying community support both financially and morally.
Local Republican senators, including Senator Suzette Martinez Valladares, have taken the incident to higher levels of government, seeking to steer the focus of immigration enforcement away from individuals like Vargas and towards a path to legal status for long-term community contributors.
