Over the past several months, members of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency have carried out operations throughout Southern California, including here in Irvine.

According to City staff, ICE agents operating in Irvine have not targeted specific individuals with criminal records. Instead, they have made stops and detentions based on generalized criteria — including apparent race or ethnicity; speaking Spanish or speaking English with an accent; presence at a particular location; and the type of work one does.

On February 24th, the City Council voted to establish a program to ensure that people working or living in Irvine have access to legal representation if they are detained by ICE.