A West Hollywood community has expressed outrage after fake signs seemingly representing the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) were posted across the were posted on Santa Monica Boulevard.
"I went out last night, and these signs were posted all along Santa Monica Boulevard," a concerned community member, who asked to remain anonymous, told the WeHo Times. "They were on trees and taped to sidewalks. I was horrified."
The signs simply displayed the seal of the Department of Homeland Security, the words "U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement" and a phone number. Director of Community Safety Danny Rivas was contacted by a member of the community and alerted of the signs, after which he asked staff at Code Compliance to have them removed.
"Code enforcement immediately walked the boulevard and removed all the signs. I can't believe this is happening in WeHo. We are a welcoming and inclusive city. So sad. This is only going to get worse and they are being empowered to spread hate," the community member told the outlet.
"Harassment, sort of fear, Bass fear-mongering, and that's just not gonna stand in our city or a city that supports one another. We are one of the very first cities in Southern California to be a sanctuary city for the immigration community," West Hollywood Mayor Chelsea Beyers told KTLA.
Beyers believes the signs are fake, most likely printed and taped up by a private citizen aiming to instill fear within the migrant community of West Hollywood.
Since taking office on January 20, President Donald Trump has repeatedly stated his goals in carrying out some of the largest mass deportation programs in American history. The orders further permit ICE agents to enter and conduct arrests in "sensitive areas" including churches and schools.
"This feels like a threat because West Hollywood is not associated with illegal immigration or with encouraging neighbors to turn on each other and get people deported," another community member told the WeHo Times. "It's meant to seem very innocent and innocuous, but we know what this means. It was put in the Rainbow District to terrorize people who work in the restaurants along the strip."
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