Opinion

This is a community opinion piece. The views are the author’s, not Voice of OC’s. We’re interested in hearing different perspectives and voices. Want to weigh in on this or another issue? Email opinions@voiceofoc.org.

Press release

This story is part of the Voice of OC Collegiate News Service, a partnership with Chapman University that trains student journalists to cover public policy across Orange County. Have a student project or a response to this work? Email admin@voiceofoc.org.

Jackie Cordova said she was conducting her early morning ICE watching routine in front of the federal building in Santa Ana when federal agents surrounded her, causing her to flee before they tackled her and busted one of her teeth and left her bloodied. 

It comes as local immigration advocates say there’s currently a 45-day ICE surge in Southern California – especially for sanctuary cities, like Santa Ana.

Cordova, a 51-year-old Santa Ana resident and U.S. citizen, said she feared she wouldn’t be released after her 4:45 a.m. arrest off Civic Center Drive. 

“They barricaded this entrance (off of Civic Center Drive) with about eight to 12 cars and they ran after me after I went running from them,” Cordova said. “They busted up my face, they arrested me.”

“They sprayed me with mace and busted me up against this wall right here,” Cordova said, pointing to a wall across the street from the federal building. “They kenneled me in this area so I took off running for help.” 

Cordova said federal agents fingerprinted her after she was arrested as they were “trying to make some case on me – they’re trying to decide what to do with me.”

After publication of this article, Department of Homeland Security officials called Cordova “a known agitator” in a Friday email and said their officers were trained on de-escalation tactics and receive ongoing use of force training.

They also said ICE agents are facing an increase in assaults, vehicle attacks and death threats.

“On October 8, 2026, in Santa Ana, California, a known agitator was observed running in front of multiple ICE vehicles, striking vehicles with a metal object. Earlier in the week, the same agitator threw rocks at ICE vehicles. The agitator sustained minor injuries to her lip during the incident but declined EMS on two separate occasions,” reads the statement attributed to an unnamed spokesperson. 

“Anyone who obstructs federal law enforcement is committing a federal crime. There has been a massive increase in violence and threats against federal law enforcement.”

Cordova called the statement in a Friday text message “an outright lie” and called them “masked violent domestic terrorists.” 

City officials didn’t have any information about what happened early Thursday morning.  

It’s the latest high profile incident related to the federal immigration crackdown in Orange County, which kicked off in June 2025. 

Initially, there were roving patrols of ICE and Department of Homeland Security agents throughout places like Anaheim, Garden Grove, Santa Ana and Westminster.

Federal agents targeted car washes, Home Depot parking lots, construction sites, street vendors and a host of other businesses that heavily rely on immigrant labor. 

Now, the crackdown is less visible after former Department of Homeland Security Kristie Noem was replaced with Markwayne Mullin.

“They stopped the roving patrols for now. But the intensity is still there,” said Carlos Perea, executive director of the Harbor Institute – a local immigration advocacy group – in a Thursday interview at a small protest in front of the federal building.  

About 20 people were protesting Cordova’s arrest and the immigration crackdown in general – federal agents chased away one protestor who went past bollards in front of the federal building’s entrance. 

Perea said the 45-day surge is already instilling fear among residents that the roving patrols could return. 

As of late Thursday afternoon, Instagram feeds are filled with videos of residents confronting ICE and Department of Homeland Security agents up and down California in places like Stockton and San Diego. 

The Sacramento Bee reported that the 45-day ICE surge hasn’t been publicly announced, but Gov. Gavin Newsom is lambasting the move. 

Meanwhile, some residents at the protest said Cordova is part of Santa Ana’s community fabric. 

“Jackie mentored so much youth in this community. Jackie organized the Catrina Bowl with Calacas for many years,” said Alicia Rojas, an activist and artist from Santa Ana. 

“She calls herself the mother of Santana, which means that she’s had countless city council meetings calling out the corruption,” Rojas said. “She’s just always been there for our kids, for our community.”

She said it’s alarming an American citizen was apparently arrested. 

“To read that she was beaten up, that her teeth were knocked out, that she was taken into custody despite being an American citizen and not released until 9:45 a.m., after being detained at 5:00 a.m.—no, ¡ya basta!”

Cordova said she experienced the fear that many immigrants have faced since June 2025. 

“The worst fears start hitting you on where they can take you,” she said. “I was afraid I wouldn’t get out.”