Advocates, including Tasha Williamson, gather Thursday to protest arrests made Thursday during an immigration enforcement action in Lina Vista. (Photo by Brooke Binkowski/Times of San Diego)
About two dozen residents gathered at the downtown Federal Bureau of Prisons building Thursday evening to protest the arrests of four people — including a well-known community organizer who is an American citizen — during a purported immigration action.
During the incident on Wednesday, multiple agencies were at a building in Linda Vista when a crowd of residents confronted agents, including the community organizer, who is known as Blue.
“We don’t know where any of these people were until today … they took them to a port of entry and held them,” said longtime advocate Tasha Williamson.
The woman known as Blue was released shortly after the news conference and immediately hugged her wife. Two others — one with a visible bruise on his head — were also freed. One person remains in custody.
Along with Blue, two others are activists and organizers while one detainee was said to be the target of the enforcement action, by Homeland Security Investigations.
Williamson questioned where local elected officials have been and why they have not spoken out in support, while issuing a challenge to the San Diego Police Department, which was called to the scene in Linda Vista by federal officers.
The activist, only identified as Blue, left, hugs her wife after being released from custody Thursday. (Photo by Brooke Binkowski/Times of San Diego)
“We are asking the mayor to stand up because this is a sanctuary city,” Williamson said, along with “asking SDPD to no longer go to these scenes unless they are prepared to make arrests” of people identifying themselves as federal police performing what she characterized as illegal and unconstitutional activities.
She added, “I don’t know if this is the United States of America, but it definitely doesn’t seem like it anymore because it’s almost like anything goes.”
Former state Assemblymember Lori Saldaña also encouraged voters to pressure city councilmembers who are on the public safety committee to release surveillance video of the Linda Vista incident.
Updated 7:45 p.m. July 3, 2025