Jimmy Rhoades was spraying pesticide on orange bushes in San Juan Capistrano on Aug. 28 when a yell went up within the air:
Immigration brokers have been staging a raid.
Mexican nationals working alongside Rhoades bumped into the groves and hid for hours. But la migra caught round till the naranjeros reemerged and detained them. Agents then noticed the blond-haired, blue-eyed, 15-year-old Rhoades hiding inside a spraying rig.
They “threw me into their truck with out asking any questions,” he instructed the Long Beach Press-Telegram.
That’s when the teenager’s 11-hour hell started.
This episode passed off practically 75 years in the past, however for Latinos in Southern California and past,
the identical type of drama is unfortunately turning into simply one other day of life in President Trump’s America.
La migra’s lengthy historical past of merciless and sloppy enforcement
Rhoades and his co-workers — together with a Mexican American — have been pushed all the way down to Oceanside and stuffed right into a room. When he requested to name his mom in Yorba Linda, an agent shoved him right into a chair and shouted, “We’ll ask the questions.”
After hours in custody, Rhoades and the others have been moved to an immigration processing heart in Chula Vista. It was there when la migra lastly requested him for ID and decided what he was insisting all alongside was true: He was a U.S. citizen.
Rhoades was lastly launched however supplied no trip residence, not to mention an apology. His boss needed to decide him up all the best way from north O.C. At least he was let free; three different staff have been deported.
Tales of reckless raids have gotten increasingly widespread
As Trump pours nitro on his deportation marketing campaign, a ProPublica investigation discovered a month in the past that la migra has held greater than 170 U.S. residents this yr alone. But this isn’t something new: They additionally occurred way back to 1954.
Then and now, a president unleashed a scorched-earth deportation marketing campaign within the title of securing the U.S.-Mexico border, clawing again jobs for American staff and profitable again the homeland from an invading pressure.
This administration has cited Eisenhower’s Operation Wetback as inspiration for what Trump’s migra squad is doing proper now. He and his supporters have described the marketing campaign as a swift, orderly necessity that may be simply replicated.
But the Rhoades case confirmed that anybody could be swallowed up by the federal government’s deportation machine — and that la migra doesn’t care if innocents endure alongside the best way.
What’s that outdated saying? Those who neglect the previous are condemned to repeat it.
Rhoades’ household didn’t sue — they only hoped it will by no means occur once more
The first newspaper tales about what occurred to Rhoades got here 4 days after his ordeal, when his dad and mom let the press know they have been searching for authorized recourse or no less than an apology. The Long Beach Independent wrote that that they had “been suggested” they may sue la migra for “alleged kidnapping, false imprisonment and inserting a minor in custody with adults.”
Rhoades, for his half, instructed the newspaper that what he skilled was a “daytime nightmare” and that he was “petrified.”
Immigration officers at first wouldn’t affirm or deny Rhoades’ story, telling the Anaheim Bulletin, “You newspaper [men] are attempting to fire up one thing as common.”
But because the story unfold throughout California, full with a photograph of Rhoades wanting like a “Leave it to Beaver” background character — checkered shirt, chubby cheeks, fluffy flattop — immigration officers needed to handle what occurred.
They blamed Rhoades.
Herman R. Landon, the Los Angeles-area director for Immigration and Naturalization Services, instructed the Associated Press that {the teenager} instructed his brokers “false data as to the place the wetbacks had gone, which resulted of their getting away” and had tried to drive off in a truck with undocumented immigrants.
“If he have been somewhat older,” Landon warned, “he’d nonetheless be held and dealing with doable prosecution” — the kind of line that these days would appear pure popping out of the mouths of any Homeland Security bigwig.
To use one other cliche about historical past: It doesn’t repeat, but it surely certain can rhyme.
The Rhoades household finally didn’t pursue a lawsuit. “Jimmy wasn’t harm,” his mom reasoned to the Independent. “I simply hope it by no means occurs to another American boy.”
The extra issues change … OK, I’ll cease. Too dangerous la migra most likely received’t.
Today’s prime tales
Police separate two males exterior a Turning Point USA occasion at UC Berkeley on Nov. 10, 2025.
(Noah Berger / Associated Press)
Turmoil at California universities
L.A. hearth investigations
Trump administration’s battles
California courts
- A choose has refused to drop the homicide prices towards a person accused of killing 4 Pepperdine college students on the PCH in 2023.
- A former Baldwin Park police officer has pleaded not responsible to prices that he stole greater than $100,000 from the police union the place he served as its treasurer.
- The mom of lacking lady Melodee Buzzard was charged with false imprisonment after authorities say she held a person captive in her residence.
More large tales
Commentary and opinions
- JD Vance is loud, obnoxious and, in a really brief time, he’s damaged unprecedented floor along with his smash-face, turn-it-to-11 strategy to the vice presidency, argues columnist Mark Z. Barabak.
- Trump’s demolition of the White House’s East Wing reveals a fracture in additional than its structure, writes visitor contributor Rosa Lowinger.
- While Venezuela is underneath Nicolás Maduro’s rule, visitor contributor Daniel R. DePetris argues, a change in regime nonetheless can’t promise stability.
This morning’s should reads
Other nice reads
For your downtime
Back to the Body’s “artwork of adoration” train goals to make all girls really feel stunning.”
(Joyce Lee / For The Times)
Going out
Staying in
Question of the day: What’s one particular dish your loved ones makes for Thanksgiving?
Peg Quinn stated, “When I subscribed to the Sunday LA Times in 1981, it included a free California Cookbook. I’ve used the pumpkin pie recipe each Thanksgiving since – it’s the BEST- and it at all times will get rave opinions!”
Email us at essentialcalifornia@latimes.com, and your response may seem within the publication this week.
And lastly … the photograph of the day
Janelle Monae attends the 2025 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at Peacock Theater on Nov. 8, 2025.
(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)
Today’s nice photograph, from Times photographer Eric Thayer, is of Janelle Monae on the purple carpet on the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on the Peacock Theater.
Have an important day, from the Essential California group
Jim Rainey, workers reporter
Hugo Martin, assistant editor
Kevinisha Walker, multiplatform editor
June Hsu, editorial fellow
Andrew Campa, weekend reporter
Karim Doumar, head of newsletters
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