Ahh, neighborhood busy bodies. About 10 years ago I built my pole barn and outfitted it with lifts, heat electric etc. So I could store and work on my junk. It matches the house and i keep the ugly stuff in a fence in areas behind it.

One neighbor didn't like it and started calling the zoning board, every 2 weeks, with some sort of complaint. The funniest was the claim i was storing explosives in the building. The inspector came in laughing about that one.

I finally ended it by getting a restraining order by pointing out that some of the things she complained about could only be known by trespassing on my property. I got nothing but 1 finger waves for the next 5 years till she moved to Florida.

This came about due to the influx of immigrants who have no employable skills other than repairing/salvaging cars. The statute (and others like it) were supported by auto repair and dismantling associations who see the home-based repair/dismantling activities as cutting into their bottom line.

As usual, the ordinary citizen falls victim to the statute.

"Things not usually found in a residential garage" - that pretty much describes almost everything in my garage.

WHY are there millions of illegal immigrants in CA?

With two major ports, three international airports a substantial border with Mexico and two mega-metropolitan areas there are lots of places to blend in.
There are several other States with large populations as well. To deal with illegals in any State, start prosecuting the people that knowingly employ illegals. No. More. Problem.

There are those whom believe (or act as if) it's 1900 again. The USA is the Manufacturing/Export Powerhouse of the World; with a Big Demand/Need for Labor & it's the Land of Golden Opportunity. All US citizens live like Rockefellows & is a Utopia for all here. So the rest of the world "Follows the yellow brick road to the land of OZ". Mainly because the prevailing consensus is "Once your IN, you won't be deported"