A worker at Fast Auto Repair was taken in an apparent immigration enforcement operation on Thursday, Nov. 13, 2025. (Jessica Perez/ Boyle Heights Beat)
A manager at an auto mechanic shop was taken in an apparent federal immigration operation Thursday morning in Boyle Heights, according to rapid response teams.
Employees at Fast Auto Repair, on the corner of Boyle and Cesar Chavez avenues, were preparing to open up around 7:40 a.m. when they realized one of their workers, identified as Angel Gomez, was missing.
“I was chatting with him in the car and came inside to clean up before opening and then I notice he’s not coming in,” said Modesto Cordero, a worker at the neighboring Pancho’s Tires, which shares the same lot. Workers said they tried to call Gomez, but he didn’t answer. That’s when someone from a rapid response team arrived to tell them what happened.
“It happened so fast,” Cordero said.
Raquel Roman with the Boyle Heights Immigrant Rights Network told Boyle Heights Beat that the group was alerted after students walking to school reported the operation. She said the group was trying to contact the man’s family.
Videos on social media showed at least one agent in a black vest marked “POLICE Federal Agent” leaving the location in an unmarked SUV.
Sammy Carrera with the social justice group Centro CSO said immigration agents were already gone by the time members of rapid response networks got on scene.
“The co-workers are very devastated and are having a very hard time coping with what happened,” Carrera said.
Workers at the shop were scrolling through surveillance video to see if the cameras captured anything. They kept the gate locked and debated closing for the day, but said demand wouldn’t let them.
“We can’t lose customers. We live off our work,” Cordero said in Spanish.
In response to the incident, members of Centro CSO and of the Boyle Heights Immigrant Rights Network will be patrolling the area around Prospect Park.
Boyle Heights Beat reached out to the Department of Homeland Security but has not yet received a response.
My background: I was part of the team that launched De Los, a new section of the Los Angeles Times exploring Latino identity. I’ve been a local reporter for The Press-Enterprise in Riverside, The San Gabriel Valley Tribune, and The Orange County Register. You can find my writing on religion, food, and culture in The Atlantic, Eater, the Associated Press, the Washington Post, and Religion News Service. My upbringing spans South Central, El Monte, and Pomona.
What I do: I write about how decisions surrounding immigration, city hall, schools, health, religion and culture impact Boyle Heights and East LA. I do this by spending time with residents and community members, reaching out to civic and elected leaders, and by analyzing related research. I also mentor Boyle Heights Beat youth journalists.
Why LA: It’s where I’m from. Reporting and living here means appreciating the different neighborhood identities that make up LA. Also, nothing beats walking along the LA River, hiking at Debs Park, or catching a sunset while running on the Sixth Street Bridge in Boyle Heights.
The best way to contact me: My email is alejandra.molina@boyleheightsbeat.org.
My background: I was born in Mexico and raised in Boyle Heights, where I got my start in journalism by launching a community blog. Most recently, I worked at the Los Angeles Times and have spent most of my career covering local news in LA, with a focus on community-centered stories, Latino communities and mentoring emerging writers.
What I do: I lead coverage of Boyle Heights and East LA across all platforms to inform, connect and uplift our community. I spend my days listening, planning, editing and coordinating to make sure our stories reflect the community fairly, while supporting and mentoring my team of reporters and freelancers so they can grow along the way.
Why LA?: It’s home. It’s the sounds of Spanglish and other languages, the smell of tacos and kimchi, the way street art tells stories and how, even though I hate traffic, I love how the freeways can take me to the beach or the mountains on a whim.
The best way to contact me: My email is jessica.perez@boyleheightsbeat.org.
