David Huerta, the president of SEIU California, was injured and detained during an immigration raid in downtown Los Angeles on Friday. This incident has sparked protests and demands for his release from various labor and immigrant rights groups.
Huerta, 58, was documenting the actions of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents when he was taken into custody. After receiving treatment at a hospital, he was transferred to the Metropolitan Detention Center, where he remained as of late Friday afternoon. Protesters gathered outside the detention center, expressing their outrage by spray-painting messages like “F— ICE” and “Abolish ICE” on its walls.
In a statement from the hospital, Huerta emphasized that his situation was not just about him. He called attention to the broader issues of how immigrant communities are treated, saying, “Hard-working people, and members of our family and our community, are being treated like criminals.”
The labor union representing Huerta stated that he was detained while exercising his First Amendment rights to observe and document law enforcement activities. However, federal authorities claimed that Huerta obstructed their operations by blocking their vehicles while they executed warrants related to the suspected harboring of undocumented individuals.
U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli made it clear that anyone impeding federal agents would face arrest. He stated, “Let me be clear: I don’t care who you are — if you impede federal agents, you will be arrested and prosecuted.”
In response to Huerta’s detention, elected officials from various levels of government condemned the ICE raids and called for Huerta’s immediate release. Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn described his arrest as wrongful and highlighted the importance of the public’s right to peacefully protest and observe law enforcement actions.
Governor Gavin Newsom also voiced his support for Huerta, calling him a respected leader and stating that no one should be harmed for witnessing government actions.
While Huerta was detained, ICE agents arrested 44 other individuals during the raid. Protests continued throughout the day, with hundreds of people expressing their fears and frustrations about the ongoing immigration sweeps. The Los Angeles Police Department ultimately declared the gathering an unlawful assembly and ordered protesters to disperse.
As tensions rise over immigration policies, Huerta’s case has become a focal point for discussions about the treatment of immigrants and the rights of those who advocate for them in the face of federal enforcement actions.