California cities cancel 4th of July events to shield illegal aliens amid anti-ICE madness

Several California cities canceled their Fourth of July celebrations, reportedly citing Immigration and Customs Enforcement activities as the reason for the last-minute decision.

With President Donald Trump's vow to execute the biggest deportation effort in the nation's history, ICE has increased its efforts to find and detain illegal aliens.

'This disdain for the average citizen is typical of California's Democrat leadership.'

California, the state with the largest illegal immigrant population, has been a prime target of the administration's immigration enforcement activities, sparking mass protests and even destructive rioting last month.

Now, several California cities are reportedly faulting ICE for their decision to cancel Independence Day celebrations.

RELATED: Police union calls on Cudahy vice mayor to resign over video taunting violent street gangs to defend LA from ICE agents

Photo by GUILLERMO ARIAS/AFP via Getty Images

The city of Cudahy, located in southeastern Los Angeles, announced last Wednesday that it was "postponing" an Independence Day celebration scheduled for July 3 "due to recent events and concerns regarding the safety of our residents."

The post did not directly cite ICE activities as the reason for the postponement. As of Tuesday, the event had not been rescheduled.

Cudahy Vice Mayor Cynthia Gonzalez faced calls to resign, including from the L.A. police union, after she appeared to call on the city's street gangs to stop ICE's operations.

In a now-deleted June video, Gonzalez said, "I want to know where all the cholos are at in Los Angeles: 18th Street, Florencia. Where's the leadership at? Because you guys are all about territory and 'This is 18th Street,' and, 'This is Florencia.' You guys tag everything up, claiming hood and now that your hood's being invaded by the biggest gang there is, there ain't a peep out of you."

"Whoever's the leadership over there, just f**king get your members in order," Gonzalez added.

Matt Himes, a California resident and the managing editor for Blaze Media's Align, stated, "Last week L.A. County official Cynthia Gonzalez allegedly went on TikTok to encourage local gang members to fight back against ICE. She didn't ask how her law-abiding constituents felt about the prospect of open warfare in their neighborhood. This disdain for the average citizen is typical of California's Democrat leadership."

Bell Gardens, a city located just east of Cudahy, also canceled its Fourth of July events, directly citing concerns about immigration enforcement.

"Out of an abundance of caution regarding concerns for resident safety over federal immigration enforcement activities, the City of Bell Gardens will be canceling the scheduled events between June 24, 2025, and July 10, 2025, including the Movie Nights on June 26 and July 10 as well as the Independence Day Celebration," the city wrote.

Since the notice of cancellation, the city has repeatedly used its social media account to promote "immigration workshops."

One pinned post reads, "Know your rights! Regardless of your immigration status, you have guaranteed constitutional rights." The post instructs immigrants on how to respond to ICE agents arriving at their home, advising them not to open the door for officers unless they have a warrant signed by a judge.

"Remain silent and [do] not answer questions from immigration agents," it reads.

RELATED: Fear of deportation is crippling Los Angeles businesses so badly, unions are demanding moratorium on rent

Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

Huntington Park, a city northwest of Cudahy, similarly postponed its Independence Day celebrations, though it did not provide a reason.

"The Celebration of Independence scheduled for Thursday, July 3rd has been postponed. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. Thank you for your understanding and support," the city wrote.

Boyle Heights, located east of the Los Angeles River, postponed its July 4 events, citing ICE activities, according to Alejandra Alarcon, a spokesperson for the office of city council member Ysabel Jurado.

Alarcon told the Boyle Heights Beat, "We're responding to the crisis with the presence of federal agents in the community."

The outlet reported that celebrations for Boyle Heights, El Sereno, Lincoln Heights, and Northeast Los Angeles will be postponed until sometime in August.

Jurado’s deputy for economic innovation and community growth, Lucia Aguilar, was arrested, along with her twin sister, for allegedly assaulting a police officer with a deadly weapon during the anti-ICE riots in June. The twin sisters are the daughters of Rick Cole, a Democratic Pasadena City council member

As some California cities prioritize shielding illegal immigrants over celebrating Independence Day, critics argue these actions betray the core values of America.

Himes stated, "Legal immigrants love July 4 — just like people who've been here for generations. But too bad: What really matters is 'protecting' the people with no respect for our country's laws. Even my neighborhood of the Pacific Palisades (which burned to the ground on the watch of that same Democratic leadership) is having a big July 4 party — my condolences to all my fellow Californians being denied one."

Gloria Romero, a former Democratic majority leader in the California State Senate, told Fox News, "They're basically canceling America; they're canceling patriotism."

"We are basically led by a far-left, ultra-woke, [Trump derangement syndrome]-suffering fools," she said.

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