PARAMOUNT, Calif. — What began as whispers in the Hispanic-majority community of Paramount quickly exploded into violent protests, all sparked by rumours that immigration officials had raided a local hardware store to detain undocumented workers.
Juan, a day labourer, recalls gathering in the car park near the Home Depot where scores of migrants usually congregate to find work. But on Sunday, only a handful of men waited. “No-one really knows what happened. Everyone is afraid,” he said, leaning on the back of his pickup truck.
The unrest followed unconfirmed sightings of immigration enforcement vehicles in the area. The tension boiled over as social media circulated claims of arrests at the hardware store a familiar spot where many undocumented workers find jobs across the US.
Protests swiftly turned chaotic. Rocks and Molotov cocktails were hurled. Authorities responded with pepper spray, rubber bullets and smoke bombs to control the crowds. A car was set alight, and some local businesses suffered looting.
Yet the US Department of Homeland Security dismissed the core claim. “Despite false reports, there was no ICE raid at a Home Depot in LA,” a DHS spokesperson told the BBC.
Still, the rumour had already triggered a deep sense of panic. For many in Paramount where more than 80% of residents identify as Hispanic the fear ran deep, linked to ongoing federal immigration crackdowns.
President Donald Trump, addressing the unrest, invoked the National Guard to support local law enforcement a move typically decided by a state governor. National Guard troops, equipped with Humvees, stood watch near the store, facing protesters waving Mexican flags and shouting slogans.
“‘You’re not welcome here!’” shouted one man wearing a Los Angeles Angels cap, confronting the soldiers.
DHS officials confirmed they used the nearby site as a staging area for operations, noting 118 undocumented immigrants had been arrested in the wider Los Angeles area this week. Among those detained, they said, were individuals with prior convictions for serious crimes.
Still, many community members viewed the protests as a response not just to enforcement, but to a broader sense of vulnerability. Dora Sanchez, gathered with others at a local church, described the area as a close-knit community now pushed to a breaking point.
“This place was built by immigrants,” Sanchez said. “People here look out for each other. This violence breaks our hearts.”
Los Angeles is a sanctuary city, meaning local authorities limit cooperation with federal immigration agents. Yet many residents feel the federal crackdown threatens their families and neighbours. Maria Gutierrez, who joined the protests, said: “These are my people. This is LA. It touches us all.”
As the city grapples with these tensions, the episode reveals the fragile intersection of immigration policy, community trust and misinformation where a single rumour can unleash waves of unrest.
