A Pasadena neighborhood continued to reel this week from a weekend federal immigration arrest that landed a mother in federal detention, left a family in disbelief and a community more unsettled after multiple apprehensions in recent weeks.

Nearly 200 people gathered for a community vigil Monday evening on the corner of Catalina Avenue and Del Mar Boulevard, after federal immigration officers arrested and detained Rosalina Luna Vargas on the same street corner in front of her two sons Saturday morning.

• See also: Leaders demand to see detainees after ICE raid in Pasadena

Among them was Bayardo Vargas, 20, Rosalina’s son, reliving the moment when the normally quiet, block not far from Caltech became new ground in President Donald Trump’s massive immigration crackdown.

“It’s been a very traumatic experience for me and my brother and my family, he said. “I was just trying to defend my mom as best as I can, and will do that until the end of time. And I love my mom.”

That experience unfolded Saturday morning, when agents showed up again.

8 a.m. near Caltech

Local resident Jillian Reed was driving by the intersection about 8 a.m. Her video of the unfolding encounter, widely shared on social media, shows three men in plain clothes seemingly trying to apprehend Rosalina Vargas up against the side of a Honda sedan parked up against the curb.

Moments earlier, according to witnesses, agents had pulled in behind and in front of the family, which was caught “completely off-guard,” and unaware of who the agents were until much later in the encounter.

Ultimately, she was cornered, witnesses said.

Her two sons, including one of their girlfriends, formed what Reed called a “human wall” around Rosalina to prevent her from being put into the vehicle while repeatedly questioning federal officers for proof of a warrant. At the end of the video, Reed is implored to call the police, which she eventually ends up doing, believing that what she was seeing was a possible kidnapping.

• See Also: Pasadena cancels park activities for Saturday after people are swept up by armed federal agents

Rosalina then broke away, according to witnesses, and ran up the steps to the nearby assisted living facility, Del Mar Park, where “someone from the facility,” according to Reed, told the federal agents they were on private property and could not enter the premises without a warrant.

It was not clear whether the agents had a warrant.

Pasadena police eventually arrived, but it was after the agents had appeared to take photos of people’s faces at the scene, including Reed’s, she said, got into two separate vehicles and drove off.

But the agents later returned and took Rosalina Vargas into custody, according to witnesses.

“Officers and a Supervisor responded to evaluate the circumstances and discovered it was an ICE operation and PPD verified their identification,” according to a statement from Pasadena Police Chief Gene Harris. “The agents detained one female without incident and PPD did not assist ICE in the apprehension as PPD was solely there for the call for service.”

In an emailed account of the encounter sent to the Star-News, Reed said she was incredulous at what she saw that day.

“I cannot begin to describe how horrific this experience was even just as a bystander,she said. “I’ve seen these videos online, and they’ve made me both angry and sad. But nothing compares to seeing it person. Nothing.”

‘Deescalated the situation’

Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin said Border Patrol agents “deescalated the situation, and no one was “injured or harmed.”

She said: “Vargas is an illegal alien from Mexico who entered the country and has been living in the United States illegally, for Lord knows how long, as there is no record of her encountering agents before this Sunday,” said in a statement. “When federal law enforcement officers encounter individuals who are in the country illegally, they will take them into custody and determine their immigration disposition.”

She said people who were present during the encounter “tried to interfere,” and noted a federal government app in which immigrants can “take control of their departure” through a program that pays people $1,000 to self-deport.

“We encourage every person here illegally to take advantage of this offer and reserve the chance to come back to the U.S. the right, legal way to live American dream. If not, you will be arrested and deported without a chance to return,” she said.

Trump has pledged to deport and arrest the “worst of the worst” criminals in the U.S. illegally.

Todd Lyons, the head of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, has defended his tactics against criticism that authorities are being too heavy-handed, saying that his agency has arrested “dangerous criminals.”

McLaughlin has reportedly said that 70% of the arrests ICE made “were of criminal illegal aliens.”

But in Los Angeles and New York, according to a recent report, almost 60% of those arrested by ICE in the first 10 days of June had no criminal convictions, nor any pending criminal charges, according to the report.

The arrest on Saturday was the latest in a series of federal apprehensions in Pasadena, mirroring several across L.A. County.

The National Day Laborer Organizing Network (NDLON), Pasadena Community Job Center and the ICE out of Dena Coalition led the demonstrators in Monday’s peaceful assembly, affirming that they will stand behind Vargas and her sons.

Faith leaders from the Clergy Community Coalition of Pasadena prayed with demonstrators for Vargas and her family. Los Jornaleros del Norte, who’s been the go-to musical group for immigration-related community rallies, performed for demonstrators to maintain a joyous environment, because “joy is an act of resistance,” said one of the band members.

“At the end of the day, the reason why we’re out here is because a mother was taken away from her boys,” said Brandon Dante Lamar, President of Pasadena NAACP. “Now, her boys have to figure out, with their family, how they’re going to take care of themselves.”

Alejandro Vargas, 17, said his mother is the “main breadwinner” of their family, and that no family deserves to go through that experience.

The two sons then stated they have since been able to talk to their mother, who Bayardo said was feeling sad.

NDLON has set up a GoFundMe page to “support Rosalina’s legal defense, covering the basic needs of her children during this painful time, and bring her home where she belongs.”

Staff Writer Ruby Gonzales contributed to this article.