Crackdown in the City of Angels: ICE Raids Ignite LA Protests
When “law and order” forgets the law
What sparked the protests?
On June 6, 2025, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) launched a sweeping and high-profile series of immigration raids across Los Angeles. Locations ranged from Home Depot in Westlake to clothing warehouses in the Fashion District and various businesses in South LA and Paramount. In total, roughly 44–45 individuals were detained. One of them was SEIU‑California President David Huerta, a union leader who was reportedly injured while attempting to document the raid at Ambiance Apparel in the Fashion District.
Community members described the raids as “intimidating” and “targeted,” carried out with aggression and secrecy. For many, it recalled the darkest days of immigration enforcement—when fear, not fairness, defined federal action.
Timeline of Escalation
June 6:
Morning: ICE initiates workplace raids. Bystanders record video and graffiti anti-ICE slogans outside federal buildings.
Midday: Huerta is detained during the Fashion District raid after allegedly attempting to block an ICE vehicle. Protesters begin mobilizing.
Afternoon: Video footage shows overcrowded federal detention conditions, with detainees lacking water, medicine, and food.
Evening: Protests intensify near the Metropolitan Detention Center downtown. LAPD declares the assembly unlawful and uses crowd-dispersal tactics around 7 p.m., following reports of protesters throwing debris.
Night: LAPD issues a tactical alert and deploys riot control units. The crowd eventually disperses by late evening.
June 7:
Demonstrations shift to Paramount. Federal and ICE agents respond with riot gear, deploying tear gas, pepper spray, flash-bangs, and smoke grenades.
A protester was reportedly hit by a reversing ICE vehicle. The incident—caught on video—shows no attempt to stop or render aid.
The area sees burning shopping carts, aerial fireworks, and escalated clashes between protesters and authorities.
ICE and LAPD: Allies or Adjacents?
ICE led the raids with support from federal agencies including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the FBI. LAPD and the LA County Sheriff’s Department officially distanced themselves, stating they were not involved in immigration enforcement. However, LAPD did respond to federal aid requests and assisted with crowd control—raising questions about operational alignment.
ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons accused Mayor Karen Bass and city leaders of promoting “chaos” by refusing to assist federal immigration efforts. City officials, in turn, reiterated their commitment to protecting immigrant communities and maintaining their sanctuary status.
The reality? While there was no formal partnership, LAPD’s presence alongside ICE blurred that line for many Angelenos.
Assembly Bill 48: Laws on Crowd Control
California’s AB 48, enacted in 2023, requires:
All crowd-control weapons to follow de-escalation attempts
Warnings to be issued before dispersal
Special care near sensitive locations (hospitals, schools)
Full video/audio documentation of deployment
Violations were evident across both days:
Tear gas, flash-bangs, pepper balls, and rubber bullets were reportedly deployed with little to no audible warnings
Peaceful protesters and legal observers, including David Huerta, were caught in the crackdown
No documented evidence has yet surfaced proving that officers followed proper AB 48 protocols
Observers argue these events violated the spirit—and possibly the letter—of the law.
The Hit-and-Run: Protester Struck by ICE Vehicle
In Paramount, a viral video shows a protester stumbling in front of a reversing ICE vehicle. The vehicle continues to move, allegedly striking the individual. No federal agency has claimed responsibility, nor have they acknowledged fault. The woman’s condition remains unclear.
Local activists have demanded a formal investigation. So far, no law enforcement agency has opened an inquiry, leaving the event shrouded in both physical and legal ambiguity.
Reactions and Rhetoric
Mayor Karen Bass: “These tactics sow terror in our communities and disrupt the basic principles of safety.”
LAPD Chief: “We will not assist in any sort of mass deportations.”
CHIRLA Director Angelica Salas: “Our community is under attack. These raids are about fear, not law.”
ICE Director Todd Lyons: “Los Angeles leaders have chosen chaos over compliance. ICE will continue to enforce the law.”
The message is clear: the divide between federal and local sentiment on immigration enforcement is as wide as ever.
So, What Comes Next?
Civil rights groups and legal observers are preparing lawsuits to determine whether ICE and LAPD violated AB 48’s guidelines.
The hit-and-run incident may spur further legal action or public pressure if official investigations remain dormant.
The Trump administration has signaled no intention to slow down. National Guard deployment remains on the table, as tensions with California officials escalate.
Immigrant communities brace for continued raids as the broader political battle over immigration, sanctuary policies, and public protest plays out in real time.
Summary
The protests in Los Angeles are more than just a response to a single ICE raid—they are a reaction to a national climate where fear has replaced fairness, and where laws designed to protect civilians from aggressive policing appear to be ignored when politically convenient.
For many, the question isn’t whether ICE and LAPD coordinated. The question is: when government power can detain, injure, and silence with impunity—who's actually enforcing the law, and who's breaking it?
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