Rooftop Escape: Illegal Immigrants Flee Federal Agents in Montebello, California
Dramatic footage captures a group of illegal immigrants scrambling across rooftops in California to evade federal immigration agents during an enforcement operation at a construction site in Montebello, a city in Los Angeles County.
The video shows two individuals climbing onto the roof of a home in Montebello as authorities arrived at the scene. One of them tried to knock down the ladder to prevent agents from following, but an officer managed to prop it back against the house.
The illegal immigrants then split up and jumped onto separate nearby rooftops as they attempted to escape. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed that the incident occurred during a U.S. Border Patrol enforcement operation in the Montebello area.
According to a DHS spokesperson, five illegal aliens from Mexico and Guatemala were arrested during the operation for breaking immigration laws. They will remain in custody pending further immigration proceedings. Initially, the workers' boss denied any detentions, but DHS later confirmed the arrests.
The enforcement activity was part of the Trump administration's efforts to crack down on illegal immigration. This incident occurred amidst the administration's push for what officials describe as the largest deportation effort in U.S. history, sparking controversy in sanctuary cities and Democratic-led jurisdictions.