Estimated ridership statistics from Metro show a steep decline in passengers in June compared to May figures, proof that the Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids in Los Angeles are impacting daily life, with people opting to stay home and not venture outside for fear of being caught at the wrong place at the wrong time.
The total number of passengers in buses and rail for May was 110,282,332, but that figure declined 12 percent in June, when the totals were 97,030,281.
For buses alone, the reduction in the same months amounted to 12.7 percent (71,666,369 compared to 62,515,050).
While some of this drop is attributed to schools being out and summer vacations, it is double what it was in the previous year.
Since June 6, when immigration agents began detaining people in the Los Angeles area, many residents went underground, staying away from work, school, churches, and other public venues for fear of being caught in a raid.
Even before ICE agents fanned out across Los Angeles, arresting workers and street vendors at parking lots, street corners and bus stops, Metro partnered with the Los Angeles County Office of Immigrant Affairs to display clear, multilingual “Know Your Rights” materials in 2,100 buses, 450 rail cars, and dozens of stations.
“Immigrants make vast contributions to our communities and to LA County’s economy. And many of them rely on Metro to do that,” stated County Supervisor and Metro Board of Directors Chair Janice Hahn in February when she sent a letter to the Metro CEO asking for these helpful resources for passengers. “During this time of unprecedented fear and uncertainty for many immigrants, we can’t waste any time or leave any opportunity on the table when it comes to informing our riders who are immigrants about their rights.”
Public transit is still widely used in the metropoli known for its car culture. A 2023 Metro survey showed that 60 percent of bus riders and some 50 percent of rail riders are Latinos. Up until June, Metro said it directed its personnel to report “any ICE activity” to its security team, but that it had not received reports of immigration agents boarding any buses or trains. However, a widely circulated video in June showed agents detaining two people at a bus stop in Pasadena in the early morning of June 18.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) also published a guide for passengers about their rights in case they encounter immigration agents on buses or trains.
- You have the right to remain silent.
- When in doubt, do not answer questions about your citizenship or immigration status or sign any paperwork without the advice of a lawyer.
- If you have valid immigration papers, you can provide them. Never provide false documents.
- You can refuse a search of your belongings by saying “I do not consent to a search.”
- You have the right to record video of immigration agents. Download ACLU’s Mobile Justice CA app for free on iOS or Android. The app lets you record any encounters with law enforcement and sends a copy to the ACLU for review and safekeeping.
Tell your fellow passengers they have rights and should use them.
To report immigration agents on your bus, train, or at a station, call the ACLU of Southern California at 909-291-4739.
