Congresswoman Luz Rivas Participates in Immigration Town Hall in Pacoima

LOS ANGELES - Congresswoman Luz Rivas (CA-29) participated in an immigration town hall at Pacoima Charter Elementary School hosted by One LA-IAF. The event focused on listening to stories from community members who have been impacted by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids that have terrorized the San Fernando Valley.

"Thank you to Pacoima Charter Elementary School Principal Sylvia Fajardo and One LA for inviting me to participate in tonight's immigration town hall on the ICE raids that have terrorized our communities," said Congresswoman Rivas."For the past year, our community has been living in fear. The stories I heard tonight from constituents echoed those fears, but also showed the true bravery and resilience of our community. The bravery and resilience displayed tonight in the face of Donald Trump's ICE raids make me proud to call the San Fernando Valley home, and even prouder to represent them in Congress. I will always fight for my district and continue to hold the Trump Administration accountable for the nightmare they are forcing immigrant communities across the country to live through."

Background:

Congresswoman Luz Rivas represents the San Fernando Valley in Congress, which has been one of the hardest-hit communities in the country by the ICE raids. To address the increased immigration enforcement operations and stand up for her constituents, Congresswoman Rivas has sent five letters to ICE leadership calling for accountability and visited detention centers four times to conduct her Congressional oversight duties.

On June 7, 2025, Congresswoman Rivas, with three of her House Democratic Caucus colleagues, was denied entry to observe conditions of detainees at the Edward R. Roybal Federal Building in Downtown Los Angeles.

On June 9, 2025, Congresswoman Rivas sent a letter to ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons demanding answers into why ICE personnel violated federal law by blocking her and her colleagues from conducting their oversight duties.

On June 17, 2025, Congresswoman Luz Rivas, with four of her House Democratic Caucus colleagues, conducted a Congressional oversight visit of the Adelanto Detention Center.

On June 18, 2025, Congresswoman Rivas sent a letter to ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons concerning the inhumane treatment of detainees at the Adelanto Detention Center and the haphazard transfer of detainees to other detention centers.

On July 3, 2025, Congresswoman Rivas voted against the Republicans' Big Ugly Bill, which gave Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) $140 billion in funding.

On July 23, 2025, Congresswoman Rivas hosted an immigration Telephone Town Hall informing constituents of the work she is doing to hold Trump and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) accountable.

On July 29, 2025, Congresswoman Rivas hosted a Know Your Rights Workshop in Panorama City to inform constituents on resources that are available to them and updates on her work to combat ICE.

On August 4, 2025, Congresswoman Rivas sent a letter to ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons demanding a meeting on the traumatic immigration raids at sensitive locations and the use of masks and unmarked vehicles.

Also on August 4, 2025, Congresswoman Rivas provided updates to the City of San Fernando Council on her work fighting ICE and the Trump Administration.

On August 26, 2025, Congresswoman Rivas was denied access during a visit to conduct a Congressional oversight of the Adelanto Detention Center and demand answers on the treatment of Benjamin Guerrero-Cruz. Benjamin Guerrero-Cruz was an 18-year-old student at Reseda High School who was detained by ICE while walking his dog. In the span of 24 hours, Guerrero-Cruz was transferred from the Adelanto Detention Center to Arizona, and then back to the Adelanto Detention Center without his family's knowledge.

On August 28, 2025, Congresswoman Rivas was again denied access to conduct Congressional oversight of the Adelanto Detention Center. This prompted Congresswoman Rivas to introduce H.R. 5073, the Immigration Notification for Facility Oversight and Relocation Management Act of 2025, or the "INFORM Act of 2025",to bring transparency to Department of Homeland Security's detainee transfer process.

On August 29, 2025, Congresswoman Rivas sent a letter to ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons demanding accountability for the transfer and treatment of Benjamin Guerrero-Cruz.

On November 6, 2025, Congresswoman Luz Rivas visited the Adelanto Detention Center to observe Benjamin Guerrero-Cruz's master hearing. Guerrero-Cruz was released from ICE detention and reunited with his family in December 2025.

On November 24, 2025, Congresswoman Rivas participated in the House Oversight and Government Reform: Immigration Shadow Hearing titled "Due Process for All: Exposing Trump's Mass Deportation Machine" in Downtown Los Angeles on ICE's actions in Southern California.

On January 14, 2026, Congresswoman Rivas called for impeachment of Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.

On January 16, 2026, Congresswoman Rivas participated in a Shadow Hearing in Minnesota in response to the murder of Renee Nicole Good by ICE agents.

On January 21, 2026, Congresswoman Rivas voted against Republicans' bill that allows ICE to operate without oversight and accountability.

On January 22, 2026, Congresswoman Rivas called for ICE to be abolished and called the agency "broken beyond repair."

On February 3, 2026, Congresswoman Rivas joined her House Democratic Caucus colleagues at a protest in front of ICE's headquarters in Washington, D.C. The Members called on then-Secretary Kristi Noem to be impeached and for ICE to be abolished.

On February 6, 2026, Congresswoman Rivas introduced the Housing Without Fear Act to protect noncitizens from eviction and block the Department of Homeland Security and Department of Housing and Urban Development from working together to weaponize noncitizens' personal data.

On February 19, 2026, Congresswoman Rivas sent a letter to ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons on an anonymous whistleblower revealing ICE agents violated the Fourth Amendment and entered private homes without a judicial warrant.

On March 27, 2026, Congresswoman Rivas voted no for a third time on Republicans' funding bill for ICE.

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