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Dozens of people showed up at the hotel after several ICE agents were reportedly booked as guests at the AC Hotel overnight, with some seen leaving the property in the morning.
“We have received and confirmed reports that federal personnel are present in Pasadena. At this time, no enforcement activity has been confirmed,” said Mayor Victor Gordo.
“We understand the anxiety and fear that these reports can create for many in our community.”
Gordo urged the community to remain calm, united, and peaceful, and not be baited or provoked into violence.
“The right to peacefully assemble and express ourselves is a fundamental part of who we are—not just as Pasadenans, but as Americans. Our City remains firmly committed to ensuring that every resident—regardless of immigration status—is treated with dignity and respect. We will continue working to make sure all our neighbors feel safe, supported, and cared for, especially during times of uncertainty.”
Additional agents were said to be registered at The Dena Hotel and the Westin Hotel, though it remains unclear how many, if any, remain in Pasadena.
Gordo attended the protest, which grew to more than 100 people by later afternoon, along with Vice Mayor Jess Rivas and Councilmembers Justin Jones and Rick Cole.
“The City of Pasadena is aware of a gathering taking place near a location within the City and members of the Pasadena Police Department are monitoring the situation,” said City spokesperson Lisa Derderian. “The City encourages all those in attendance to remain peaceful and law-abiding as non-violent protest is a powerful tool for those who seek change. At this time, the City is not aware of any federal law enforcement action in the City, including those regarding immigration.”
Photographs circulated Sunday morning of ICE vehicles at the AC and Westin hotels. The pictures were shared on social media, prompting calls to join the demonstration. Pasadena Now confirmed ICE agents were in the city earlier Sunday but could not verify any enforcement activity. As of 10:35 a.m., on Sunday no ICE operations had been confirmed.
Pasadena Now reporter Eddie Rivera entered the AC Hotel and observed no ongoing enforcement actions. Activists and community members who gathered in the lobby were asked to leave several times and eventually complied.
According to Rivera, Pasadena police arrived at the hotel just before noon in response to calls from hotel management regarding “trespassing” by local protesters.
According to one Pasadena police officer, no one in or around the hotel was questioned or arrested.
Cole confirmed that ICE agents were staying at three hotels—the Westin, The Hotel Dena, and the AC Hotel. Cole also confirmed that no official actions would be taken by ICE or Border Patrol agents on Sunday.
“What we know is activity is going on all over Southern California and at some these activities will happen in Pasadena,” Cole said.
“All of us have to make a choice about where we stand,” Cole said. “Some of us are prepared to go to jail. We have to decide when and where that happens. I personally believe that violence is both wrong and counterproductive.”
State Sen. Sasha Renée Pérez and Pasadena Councilmember Rick Cole were present at the protest, alongside media crews from KTLA. Demonstrators continue to rally outside the hotel in response to the agents’ presence.
“I think, especially right now for those of us here in the SGV, we’re still processing the fires and still processing a lot of that trauma,” Pérez said. “We have many of our mixed status families that went through the fires that are staying in all sorts of locations across the San Gabriel Valley.
“So I cannot emphasize this enough that this is not only incredibly inappropriate, but it’s also incredibly heartless.”
Pérez said she is troubled and has spoken with many attorneys with the ACLU.
“[They have] confirmed with me that many of the people that have been arrested have not committed any crimes. These are folks that are simply undocumented and that is deeply troubling to me.”
The protest came after recent ICE raids in Los Angeles resulted in nearly 200 detentions and triggered a sweeping federal response, including the deployment of National Guard troops and the possible involvement of U.S. Marines.
“President Trump’s raids on Los Angeles and his illegal use of the military in carrying them out are deeply disturbing,” said Councilmember Steve Madison. “Clearly, he intended to retaliate and to provoke. Candidate Trump ran on the claim that undocumented immigrants are responsible for thousands of murders, rapes and other serious crimes, yet these sweeps have no apparent nexus to any pending criminal investigation or unsolved crime. At the same time the administration is cutting back federal support for human needs such as housing, healthcare and nutrition, especially for children, using federal resources in the way we’ve seen in LA this weekend is despicable.
“Unconfirmed reports indicate that they may have randomly asked hotel staff about their immigration status, without any basis other than the employees’ perceived ethnicity. Interrogating law abiding persons without predication offends the rule of law, our long held values of justice, and basic human decency and respect.
“Equally appalling was the plainly illegal act of blocking our members of Congress from inspecting the facilities where persons detained in the sweeps have been taken.”
Madison said he encouraged peaceful, nonviolent, law-abiding rallies and demonstrations and the free exercise of First Amendment rights in Pasadena opposing these misguided uses of our federal tax dollars.
One person with knowledge of the incident confirmed that although there was no immigration raid in Pasadena on Sunday, ICE agents did question staff at the hotel and questioned workers about their immigration status.
“As families live in fear and communities across the region mobilize in solidarity, I want to make one thing clear: our immigrant neighbors are not threats, they are threads in the fabric of our city. They are parents, workers, students, and dreamers,” said Councilmember Justin Jones.
“Multiple studies have shown that they contribute more into the system than they receive in benefits.
“We must continue to stand for compassion, and the dignity of all people, regardless of where they were born. I encourage all who are raising their voices today: do so peacefully, powerfully, and with purpose. Your voice matters. And you are not alone.”
Assemblymember John Harabedian (D-Pasadena) also joined the chorus of California leaders condemning the action.
A protest rally was held later in the day inLos Angeles.
“I stand with community leaders, labor organizers, and immigrant rights advocates to condemn the ICE raids that shook Los Angeles. We will not stay silent while our neighbors are targeted and our values are violated,” said Harabedian.
The raids, which took place Friday, targeted long-standing residents, workers, and parents, according to immigrant rights groups. The enforcement actions coincided with escalating tensions between President Donald Trump and several high-profile figures, including tech magnate Elon Musk, who recently severed ties with the administration.
Saturday saw immigration raids, and protests in response, at several locations including a Home Depot at 6400 Alondra Blvd. in Paramount where demonstrations escalated throughout the day amid repeated confrontations between protesters and federal agents, according to City News Service.
The nonviolent demonstration began with chants of “ICE go home” and “No justice, no peace” before federal agents lobbed multiple rounds of flash-bangs and pepper balls in response.
According to reports, At one point, a Blackhawk helicopter landed on a Paramount street containing what appeared to be large amounts of weapons and ammunition.
Video from Channel 7 showed the resupply effort near a Department of Homeland Security office at 6321 Alondra Blvd..
Fox News reported that the office was being used as a staging area for immigration raids.
Other clashes Saturday outside a federal building on Alameda Street ended with Los Angeles police officers marching side by side, then creating a line as they clashed with protesters while declaring the gathering an unlawful assembly and working to disperse even as several protesters refused to leave.
On Friday, 48 protesters were arrested following a day-long series of immigration enforcement actions in downtown Los Angeles — including the Fashion District — and the impromptu demonstration that followed.
In a statement issued Saturday, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said “This is a difficult time for our city. As we recover from an unprecedented natural disaster, many in our community are feeling fear following recent federal immigration enforcement actions across Los Angeles County. Reports of unrest outside the city, including in Paramount, are deeply concerning.
Latino Victory Project President & CEO Katharine Pichardo denounced the raids as “an ongoing extremist agenda by the Trump administration designed to instill fear, divide families, and criminalize immigrant communities.” She added that “these ICE raids are not making our communities safe… they are stripping people of their dignity and right to due process, while terrorizing advocates standing up for the civil rights that make America a democracy.”
Gov. Gavin Newsom criticized the deployment of 2,000 National Guard troops in a fundraising email, accusing the Trump administration of provoking unrest for political gain. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has placed Marines at Camp Pendleton on high alert, raising concerns about further escalation. Mayor Karen Bass called the show of force “unnecessary” and said local law enforcement had the capacity to manage any unrest.
President Trump praised the Guard’s efforts in a Saturday night post and hinted at broader crackdowns, saying, “These radical Left protests… will NOT BE TOLERATED.” The White House cited “violence and disorder” as justification for the military presence, despite local leaders describing the protests as largely manageable.
Meanwhile, officials nearby Glendale made the decision to formally terminate the City’s agreement with ICE to house federal immigration detainees at the Glendale Police Department facility.
“This is a local decision and was not made lightly,” according to a statement released Sunday evening.
According to that statement, since 2007, the City has contracted with ICE.
“Nevertheless, despite the transparency and safeguards the City has upheld, the City recognizes that public perception of the ICE contract—no matter how limited or carefully managed, no matter the good—has become divisive. And while opinions on this issue may vary—the decision to terminate this contract is not politically driven. It is rooted in what this City stands for—public safety, local accountability, and trust.”
Three Southern California members of Congress—Judy Chu, Gil Cisneros, and Derek Tran—visited the Adelanto Detention Facility Sunday morning, where many detainees are believed to be held. They were joined by the ACLU and the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights at a news conference afterward.
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