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ALHAMBRA, Calif. () — Hundreds of people packed the Alhambra City Council meeting Monday as residents demanded answers about a viral video that raised questions about possible cooperation between Alhambra police and U.S. Border Patrol agents.
Angie Vargas said last Monday she was following who she believed were federal immigration agents when an Alhambra police SUV abruptly cut her off.
In cellphone video recorded by Vargas, she can be heard asking police if they were cooperating with the federal agents.
After a brief exchange with Alhambra officers, masked federal agents approached Vargas and questioned her.
“What country are you a citizen of?” one agent is heard asking Vargas in the video.
Vargas responded she is a U.S. citizen.
As the video spread across social media, Alhambra police issued a statement addressing the encounter.
“… Our officers responded to a call for service regarding a vehicle being followed by another vehicle that was running red lights and making illegal U-turns… Officers parked their vehicle in between both parties to help with de-escalating the situation,” the statement released last week said.
“Officers assisted with keeping the peace and confirmed no immigration enforcement was taking place at the scene. Shortly after PD arrival, both parties went their separate ways.”
Vargas’ footage of the interaction sparked strong reactions online and set the stage for a fiery council meeting, with some residents accusing local police of aiding Border Patrol agents.
Protesters flooded the council chambers, hallway and lobby of Alhambra City Hall in support of Vargas and to criticize federal immigration enforcement activity in the city.
“I was appalled and disgusted to see the video of Angie Vargas being pulled over. Her constitutional rights being violated and then being lied to by several members of the Alhambra Police Department,” one speaker said during the public comment period.
Luis Carrillo, Vargas’ attorney, called on city leaders to take formal action and called for an internal affairs investigation.
Mayor Jeff Maloney attempted to calm the crowd, promising the incident is subject to review and noting that no arrests were made.
“Fortunately, after less than five minutes the situation ended and people went on their way,” Maloney said at the meeting.
The explanation did little to ease tensions.
At one point during the meeting, residents began to chant “shame.”
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