Making the most of their BILLIONS in new funding from the Big Beautiful Bill, ICE is expanding to offices in many new places, including now the City of Beige. Time for all you South-County patriots to stand up, and I hope a lot of you-all make it to this, in a couple hours. From 50501:
ICE OUT OF IRVINE
FRIDAY FEBRUARY 20 11 AM – 1 PM Corner of Mercantile & Morse Ave. near 2020 Main St. Irvine
Please join us in a peaceful protest calling on MGR Real Estate to terminate their lease with DHS/ICE/OPLA or any immigration-related agencies.
Friday, Feb. 20, 2026 from 11am-1pm. Meet at the corner of Mercantile & Morse near 2020 Main Street.
Bring signs focused on the message that ICE is not welcome in Irvine, OC, or anywhere – and that we support our immigrant neighbors. “Abolish ICE” “ICE Out Of OC” “Immigrants Are Welcome Here” etc.
GETTING THERE
Protest location is on the corner of Mercantile and Morse Avenue, in front of the building on 2020 Main St.
Free parking is available in Sky Park plaza, on the opposite corner of MacArthur and Main
Federal records obtained by WIRED show that over the past several months, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) have carried out a secret campaign to expand ICE’s physical presence across the US. Documents show that more than 150 leases and office expansions have or would place new facilities in nearly every state, many of them in or just outside of the country’s largest metropolitan areas. In many cases, these facilities, which are to be used by street-level agents and ICE attorneys, are located near elementary schools, medical offices, places of worship, and other sensitive locations. read more here
Irvine? Yes. The Register also tells of the kidnapping of three immigrant women this Tuesday, in a good story from Ryanne Mena. Featuring this nice Irvine HS protest photo by Paul Bersebach:
GO IRVINE! The Orange Juice Blog is here for you even if no other blogs are.
"Admin" is just editors Vern Nelson, Greg Diamond, or Ryan Cantor sharing something that they mostly didn't write themselves, but think you should see. Before December 2010, "Admin" may have been former blog owner Art Pedroza.
Public commenters also addressed the council, including Irvine resident Byron Salvatierra, a U.S. Army Reserve veteran. He described serving a tour in Baghdad, Iraq, and struggling to transition back to civilian life after returning in 2004.
“My family moved here to Irvine in 1984. At the time, the closest support center was outside city limits,” Salvatierra said. “I firmly believe that if we had a veteran services center here in Irvine, that barrier to entry would have been lower.”
Irvine D5 candidate and protest organizer Salvatierra, who is a 40 year resident of Irvine, gets his name in the paper.
https://www.ocregister.com/2026/02/20/in-irvine-an-ice-office-and-reports-of-people-detained-ignite-concerns/
More on Mr. Salvatierra.
Public commenters also addressed the council, including Irvine resident Byron Salvatierra, a U.S. Army Reserve veteran. He described serving a tour in Baghdad, Iraq, and struggling to transition back to civilian life after returning in 2004.
“My family moved here to Irvine in 1984. At the time, the closest support center was outside city limits,” Salvatierra said. “I firmly believe that if we had a veteran services center here in Irvine, that barrier to entry would have been lower.”
https://newuniversity.org/2026/02/02/irvine-city-council-moves-to-expand-veteran-services/
Now this is funny. Agran and Briceno at same Franco reelection event.
https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=122150892350721255&id=61571637668811
Reconcile that.