“Don’t let confusion stop you from casting your vote”: Mayor Richardson and community leaders address ICE fears at the polls
“Don’t let confusion stop you from casting your vote,” Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson said as he joined faith leaders, civil rights advocates and community organizers urging eligible voters not to let fears about U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement or election misinformation keep them from participating.
Speaking at Church One Ministries in North Long Beach ahead of Tuesday’s election, Richardson and other leaders outlined voting options, discussed resources for reporting intimidation and urged residents to give election workers time to count ballots accurately.
Richardson cited a recent incident involving federal immigration authorities that he said left a Long Beach resident and former city employee injured. Those encounters, he said, can create anxiety that affects how residents move through their communities — including whether they feel comfortable voting.
“Every eligible voter deserves to participate safely, with confidence, and with clear, reliable information,” Richardson said.
Bishop W. Todd Ervin, the church’s host pastor, described how those fears affected a recent food distribution. The church typically serves 300 to 400 families during its monthly distribution, he said. That number dropped to 80 families last week after people heard ICE was in the neighborhood.
“These are the type of things that we stand against, and we are very serious about this,” Ervin said
When asked about the city’s response if ICE agents are present at a voting location, Richardson said immigration enforcement is a federal responsibility and pointed to the Long Beach Values Act as guiding the city’s approach to not assisting those operations.
“If you see something that makes you feel unsafe, you can always call, call 911,” he said.
Richardson did not outline a specific deployment or response protocol for immigration agents at voting locations. Instead, he emphasized cooperation among government officials, community organizations and civil rights groups to support voters.
“Our local tax dollars, our local resources are always focused on supporting our local residents,” he said
Tonia Reyes Uranga, president of the League of United Latin American Citizens’ Long Beach chapter, said voters should report intimidation, challenges to their eligibility and the presence of federal immigration agents near voting locations or ballot drop boxes. She said LULAC’s voter protection program would provide assistance in English and Spanish on Election Day, with attorneys available to help.
Sharefa Batts, president of the NAACP’s Long Beach branch, also urged residents experiencing intimidation to contact the organization.
“We are here to make sure your vote is counted, your voice is heard, and you are feeling safe,” Batts said.
Oscar Zarate, director of external affairs for the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights, encouraged eligible voters to make a plan and help relatives and neighbors do the same. He outlined options that include returning a completed mail ballot in its signed envelope to an official drop box or vote center, or voting in person at a Los Angeles County vote center.
Beyond concerns about voter intimidation and immigration enforcement, speakers also addressed misinformation about the ballot-counting process. Miguel Santana, president and CEO of the California Community Foundation and co-chair of the nonpartisan coalition A Count You Can Trust, urged residents not to interpret an extended ballot count as evidence of wrongdoing.
“Voting is a season. It’s not a day,” Santana said, describing the different ways voters can participate before the voting period ends. He also encouraged voters to visit the coalition’s website for information about the election process.
The website, ACountYouCanTrust.org, explains how ballots are received, verified and counted, including why counting continues after Election Day
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