Several Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids in Los Angeles caused a wave of protests on Friday that continued into Saturday, which saw officers meet protesters in tactical gear and deploy tear gas. Some protesters threw objects at or tried to block ICE vehicles.
At one location, officers handcuffed protesters and placed them into white vans while other protesters tried to prevent them from leaving.
The protests are some of the most escalated demonstrations against the Trump administration‘s mass deportation efforts.
Angelica Salas, director of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights, said there were seven raids throughout the city on Friday with more than 45 people detained. She called them “random sweeps” that were carried out without a warrant.
“This has to stop. Immigration enforcement that is terrorizing our families throughout this country and picking up our people that we love must stop now,” Salas said.
The protests have been chaotic. Police have deployed tear gas, guns that shoot pepper balls, and zip ties, while wearing riot gear and wielding shields.
Service Employees International Union California President David Huerta was injured at the protest and detained by police. He was treated while in custody.
Bill Essayli, the U.S. attorney for the Central District of California, said “Federal agents were executing a lawful judicial warrant” when Huerta “deliberately obstructed their access.”
“I don’t care who you are — if you impede federal agents, you will be arrested and prosecuted,” Essayli said.
“We will not stand for this,” Mayor Karen Bass said of the raids. FBI Director Kash Patel responded, “We will.”
“As Mayor of a proud city of immigrants, who contribute to our society in so many ways, I am deeply angered by what has taken place,” Bass continued. “These tactics sow terror in our communities and disrupt basic principles of safety in our city,” Bass said.
Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) called the sweeps “reckless” and “cruel.”
“Continued chaotic federal sweeps, across California, to meet an arbitrary arrest quota are as reckless as they are cruel. Donald Trump’s chaos is eroding trust, tearing families apart, and undermining the workers and industries that power America’s economy,” he said.
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The Los Angeles Police Department said it will not “assist or participate in any sort of mass deportations, nor will the LAPD try to determine an individual’s immigration status.” Despite the advisory, they’ve issued several unlawful assembly alerts in the city and have instructed all officers to remain on duty.
Los Angeles declared itself as a sanctuary city in November, prohibiting its resources from being used for immigration enforcement.
