Over 40 people were arrested during immigration raids in downtown Los Angeles on Friday. The operation involved U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents executing search warrants, which led to confrontations with protesters.
The federal agents served four search warrants, detaining nearly two dozen individuals outside a Home Depot near MacArthur Park. They also targeted two office locations of Ambience Apparel in the area. Yasmeen Pitts O’Keefe from Homeland Security Investigations stated that 44 individuals were arrested for immigration-related offenses, while one person was taken into custody for obstruction.
U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli confirmed that the warrants were issued based on probable cause that the businesses were using fake documents to hire employees. The raids sparked anger among some local officials and immigrant advocates, leading to protests in response to the law enforcement actions.
Following the protests, hundreds of demonstrators marched through downtown Los Angeles. Reports indicated at least one incident of vandalism, where a protester sprayed graffiti on a federal building. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security shared videos on social media showing the protests, which included anti-police sentiments and vandalism. They condemned the actions of the protesters, stating that targeting law enforcement was unacceptable.
Protesters attempted to disrupt the immigration sweeps, throwing eggs and shouting warnings to others about the raids. O’Keefe explained that the federal agents were executing warrants for individuals living in the U.S. illegally. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass criticized the operations, emphasizing concerns about the fear they instill in immigrant communities.
In addition to the protests, various left-wing groups have been actively monitoring ICE agents and sharing their locations on social media to disrupt their operations. This comes after ICE’s previous actions in May, where they arrested 239 individuals in Los Angeles, some of whom had serious criminal backgrounds.
FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino addressed the situation, stating that the right to protest does not give people the right to attack law enforcement or obstruct legal operations. He assured that evidence from the events would be reviewed and that those responsible for any violence would be held accountable. He emphasized that there would be no tolerance for chaos on the streets.