A spokesperson for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement did not respond to a request for comment Wednesday.
Amador said in her 43 years at the nonprofit, she has never heard of an immigration arrest being made on the property, and said it was shocking to everyone there.
“It was startling. It was devastating to our staff to have one of our clients taken like that,” Amador told KQED. “We’re a big family with all of our clients and our programs.”
Amador said the center has served as a deeply trusted community resource for decades, offering help to people in need of work, along with other programs for people seeking food assistance, classes and job training, laundry services, showers and other necessities.
Ortiz called the arrest a “disturbing event” for the area.
“When federal officers conceal their identity or impersonate local law enforcement, it spreads fear, it spreads confusion and it spreads distrust across our neighborhoods. That is unacceptable in our city,” he said.
Ortiz, with the support of other councilmembers, is pushing to enact a local law that would require federal agents to clearly identify themselves and ban them from wearing masks or face coverings in most instances, similar to a state bill that was signed into law by Gov. Newsom just days ago. It’s unclear whether immigration agents would abide by the law.
Rose Amador, the retiring president and CEO of nonprofit ConXión to Community speaks during a Sept. 24, 2025, press conference about an immigration arrest at the organization’s building. (Joseph Geha/KQED)
Ortiz and other local leaders hope to ensure residents don’t recede further from public life out of concern about immigration enforcement, noting the arrest appeared to be a targeted one, and that the day laborer center was not raided.
Socorro Montaño, a co-director of the nonprofit Latinas United for New America, and a lead dispatcher with the Rapid Response Network of Santa Clara County — a coalition that works to verify reports of ICE in cities and provide legal support to people who are arrested — said the community is better protected when it’s organized.
“This is a critical moment for all local businesses and organizations to review their safety protocol. Employees should be trained to identify ICE agents, know when to call the Rapid Response Network, demand warrants and exercise their rights,” Montaño said during the press conference.
The man who was arrested and his family are being assisted by an attorney and the staff of the Rapid Response Network, she said.
Ortiz said he hopes the latest memo he and his colleagues are working on for immigrant support plans, in addition to past efforts to allocate more city money for legal aid and other services, along with the de-masking law, will help residents see their local officials are working to protect them.
“San José has always been a city of immigrants. Our immigrant neighbors built this city, they keep our economy moving…and they enrich every part of our culture,” Ortiz said.
“If our residents are not safe, our entire city suffers. We cannot allow this fear to define our city.”