A powerful show of support unfolded in Livermore Wednesday evening as hundreds of community members gathered at Livermorium Plaza to demand the release of Miguel Ángel López Luvian, a longtime Livermore resident detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Lopez, an undocumented immigrant originally from Mexico City, was taken into custody during an immigration hearing in San Francisco a move that has sparked outrage across the East Bay.
Lopez, 45, has lived in Livermore for nearly three decades. He is a father of three, a grandfather, and has been a welder at Wente Winery for the past nine years. He’s also been actively working toward U.S. citizenship with legal assistance, but a prior DUI conviction has complicated his case. Despite this, his family and supporters describe him as a dedicated provider, community contributor, and law-abiding resident.
Local Outrage, Political Pressure Mounts
Lopez’s detention along with at least a dozen others at ICE offices in San Francisco and Concord has sparked calls for immediate intervention. Indivisible Tri-Valley, a local progressive group, organized the rally and is pushing elected officials for help. They have reached out to Livermore’s mayor, the city council, county supervisors, and members of Congress, including Reps. Eric Swalwell and Mark DeSaulnier. While city officials acknowledged the matter is federal, Livermore spokesperson Stephanie Egidio confirmed that the city is working with the family and has directed them to legal resources.
Lopez is currently being held at a detention center in McFarland, near Bakersfield. His wife Rosa, a U.S. citizen, says the family has invested years and thousands of dollars into the legal process. “He’s been here most of his life. He belongs here,” she said in an interview. His daughter, Stephanie Lopez, gave an emotional speech at the rally, saying she speaks to her father via video call every day but fears for his safety and mental well-being. “He wants to be home as much as we want him home,” she said.
A GoFundMe campaign started by a local teacher has raised over $30,000 to support the family through legal battles and expenses related to his detention. Community members continue to call on ICE and federal representatives to release Lopez, who they say poses no threat and has deep roots in the Bay Area.
