Cathedral City mayor speaks out after ICE agents place her friend in custody
Shay Lawson
CORRECTION: We previously reported that the event at the Mizell Center was scheduled for Sunday. The correct date is Monday. It is a third party renting space for a private event, not a Mizell-sponsored event.
CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. (KESQ) – After weeks of ICE activity across the Coachella Valley, including in Cathedral City, Mayor Nancy Ross is now speaking out.
At last week’s city council meeting, she said her friend had been taken by ICE agents.
On Monday, Ross sat down with News Channel 3’s Shay Lawson to share what happened and why she’s raising her voice now.
“He was pulled over on Ramon and an officer approached his vehicle,” Ross said. “When the officers come to you, they’re fully masked. They don’t wear a name badge and they will not have communication with you.”
She said agents then took him to the airport and flew him to Mexico.
“They took their wallets, so they had no ID,” Ross said. “They took their telephones, and they kind of pushed them off the plane.”
Eventually she said her friend retained his phone and called her.
“We have not been in touch since that one phone call,” Ross said.
Now, she said she’s searching for answers for her community.
“This will remain my top priority until we get some answers to where are our people?” Ross said. “It’s also my responsibility to share some of the privileges I got in life. And if I could offer some of those in any little way to somebody else, count me in.”
News Channel 3 has reached out to ICE for a comment on this situation, and are waiting to hear back.
Stay with News Channel 3 for the full report at 10 and 11 p.m.