What to Do If Agents Target You or Your Neighbors in West Hollywood
Perhaps you were among the 7.5 million viewers who recently watched a video of an unsuspecting Palestinian doctoral student being confronted and “arrested” by several masked men — men who showed no badges, no warrant, no identification.
Did that scene bother you? It should have. It should have sent a chill down your spine.
Why? Because I’ve seen this before — many times. Years ago, I lived in two different countries where scenes like this were a daily occurrence. Both were labeled by the U.S. as “police states.”
What we witnessed in that video was a police state tactic. And it could happen here — in West Hollywood.
Like most cities whose economies rely on low-cost labor — especially in hospitality, restaurants, retail, and nightlife — West Hollywood depends on hundreds of immigrant workers every day. What would happen to our only real industry if ICE or masked “agents” descended on our city and rounded up those workers?
From what I’ve seen and read, there seems to be little public concern about this possibility. That’s why I’m raising the alarm.
These workers are as much a part of West Hollywood as any resident. And one of the best ways we can protect them is by reminding everyone that our Constitution provides legal protections for everybody — citizen or not.
The most important rights for immigrants to know are found in the 1st, 4th, and 5th Amendments.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is an excellent resource for understanding those rights. Perhaps our Chamber of Commerce will step up and distribute ACLU’s “Know Your Rights” cards to local workers.
In the meantime, Know Your Rights: What to Do When Interacting with ICE or any other law enforcement agency.
Know your rights.
— Carl Cronin
Considering how everything is going for just about everyone in West Hollywood, it looks like you should be consulting Palestinian 🇵🇸 immigrants on “how to run a successful business❗”
deport all palestinians – and their allies!
Thank you for calling out the police state tactics being used against Palestinian Graduate Students. Reality is that bringing attention to the ongoing Genocide in Gaza against the indigenous Palestinians by the occupying Israeli forces is not a crime in the United States!
That’s what happens when people (especially people in a foreign country as a guest) break the law…like illegally entering a foreign country, or violating a condition of a visa.
To Gimmeabreak,
The “draconian” rise in wages is such nonsense.
I guess you haven’t been paying attention, but businesses are closing everywhere.
People are being laid off everywhere.
We also have businesses opening on a regular basis.
“We” do not want them all gone.
Perhaps you have the misguided understanding that being against genocide and being against the Israel government is antisemitic. Otherwise, it’s hard to comprehend your statement.
If you want to defend yourself, yes, please. get into the “particulars.” They seem to be nonexistent.
This article needed to be written and read.
And heeded.
Thank you Mr Cronin.
100% support everything ICS is doing. So do the majority of Americans. This is an extremely out of touch article.
You’re a treasure here in WeHo, Carlton, but your compassion is misplaced. I won’t get into the particulars but this woman is about as unAmerican as you can get! She, and many more like her would tear down the fabric of America in any way they could. We want them all gone! As for the “low-cost labor” you speak of; that is hardly the case anymore with the draconian rise in wages and benefits that are driving businesses out of our city. These are jobs that were once held by students or young people who were just starting out. They… Read more »