As of 12:30 a.m. Tuesday, June 17, this blog is no longer being updated in real-time. For the latest updates on the immigration raids in and around Los Angeles, here is where to find continuing coverage.
- Share via
What to know about immigration sweeps on Monday
- President Trump vowed to expand immigration enforcement actions in major “Democrat-controlled” cities, including Los Angeles.
- Demonstrations eased on Sunday in downtown Los Angeles, with few reported problems.
- All eyes are on the 9th Circuit court, which is expected to rule on California’s bid to stop the Trump deployment of National Guard troops in L.A. as early as Tuesday.
- Immigration sweeps continued across the region over the weekend.
- Share via
Proposed bill would ban ICE agents, law enforcement from wearing masks in California
SACRAMENTO — In response to immigration raids by masked federal officers in Los Angeles and across the nation, two California lawmakers on Monday proposed a new state law to ban members of law enforcement from concealing their faces while on the job.
The bill would make it a misdemeanor for local, state and federal law enforcement officers to cover their faces with some exceptions, and also encourage them to wear a form of identification on their uniform.
- Share via
South L.A. mother deports herself to Mexico amid Trump’s immigration crackdown, family says
Amid a surge in raids and forced deportations by federal immigration agents, a South Los Angeles mother deported herself to Mexico this month after living in the U.S. for 36 years, according to her family.
The woman’s daughter, Julia Ear, recorded the entire experience and posted the video on TikTok. The family drove from Los Angeles to Tijuana on June 7 while demonstrators were taking to the streets in downtown L.A. to protest the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown and ongoing raids by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
- Share via
Friends ID woman hit by SUV at ‘No Kings’ protest: ‘She was so proud to be out there’
The Riverside Police Department is seeking help from the public two days after the driver of a black SUV rammed through a group of demonstrators in downtown Riverside, running over a young woman who remains in critical condition but is stable.
The department is asking for help in identifying and locating the suspect in the incident that occurred around 9:10 p.m. on University Avenue between Main and Orange streets, according to Officer Ryan J. Railsback, a spokesperson for the department.
- Share via
L.A. immigration protest costs reach nearly $20 million for police and city repairs
The city of Los Angeles has racked up nearly $20 million in police costs and other expenses in response to protests that have erupted over federal immigration raids, the city’s top budget analyst said Monday.
City Administrative Officer Matt Szabo said in a memo to the City Council that the city has incurred at least $19.7 million in costs through June 16. The Los Angeles Police Department has spent $16.9 million, including $11.7 million for overtime.
- Share via
Confusion reigns as Trump threatens to intensify L.A. sweeps even as ICE vows shift
Confusion reigned Monday over the federal immigration crackdown after President Trump vowed to ramp up deportations in Los Angeles and other Democratic cities just days after officials signaled they would stop arresting workers in some economic sectors.
In a Truth Social post, Trump said that officials “must expand efforts to detain and deport Illegal Aliens in America’s largest Cities, such as Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York, where Millions upon Millions of Illegal Aliens reside.” He then cited without proof the claim that those here illegally boost Democratic voter turnout.
- Share via
‘It reminded me of COVID’: Mayor Bass decries economic effect of immigration raids on L.A.
As a community and cultural center of Boyle Heights, Mariachi Plaza would be an obvious place for families to gather on Father’s Day.
But the normally bustling plaza was all but deserted when Mayor Karen Bass visited Sunday morning.
- Share via
‘I have no fear’: L.A. Opera lovers attend shows in downtown L.A. despite protests
Hours before downtown Los Angeles headed into its sixth night under curfew orders imposed by L.A. Mayor Karen Bass, dozens of opera and theater fans funneled into the Music Center on Sunday afternoon to catch matinee performances of L.A. Opera’s “Rigoletto” and Center Theatre Group’s “Hamlet.”
The shows took place just one day after thousands of “No Kings” demonstrators flooded the streets to protest immigration raids across the city. Center Theatre Group had canceled its Wednesday night performance of director Robert O’Hara’s world-premiere adaptation of “Hamlet” before officials announced a curfew exemption on Thursday for ticket holders of indoor events and performing arts venues downtown such as the Music Center. Saturday’s matinee and evening performances of “Hamlet” were also canceled in anticipation of the protests. No performances of “Rigoletto” were canceled and L.A. Opera’s “Renee Fleming and Friends” event took place on Saturday night.
- Share via
Trump directs ICE to expand deportations in Democratic-run cities
President Donald Trump on Sunday directed federal immigration officials to prioritize deportations from Democratic-run cities, a move that comes after large protests erupted in Los Angeles and other major cities against the Trump administration’s immigration policies.
Trump in a social media posting called on U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials “to do all in their power to achieve the very important goal of delivering the single largest Mass Deportation Program in History.”
He added that to reach the goal officials ”must expand efforts to detain and deport Illegal Aliens in America’s largest Cities, such as Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York, where Millions upon Millions of Illegal Aliens reside.”
Trump’s declaration comes after weeks of increased enforcement, and after Stephen Miller, White House deputy chief of staff and main architect of Trump’s immigration policies, said ICE officers would target at least 3,000 arrests a day, up from about 650 a day during the first five months of Trump’s second term.
- Share via
Skelton: Padilla was right to challenge Noem’s right-wing lunacy
SACRAMENTO — Sen. Alex Padilla had heard all he could stand from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. For good reason. She was sounding like a military dictator and brushing off California voters.
So the California senator interrupted her. He tried to ask a question — and wound up being shoved out of the room by federal bodyguards, strong-armed to the floor and handcuffed.
- Share via
Video shows military-style vehicle in what witnesses say was a Compton immigration raid
A typical Monday afternoon in Compton was shattered for several neighbors who saw, to their surprise, a drab green military-style vehicle roll up. A person stood in the open hatch wearing fatigues, a helmet and what they said appeared to be body armor. Residents who spoke to The Times said it was an immigration enforcement team using an armored vehicle for a raid in which a family including children was detained.
- Share via
- Share via
Driver remains at large after woman injured in hit-and-run at Riverside protest
A woman who had been taking part in a protest in Riverside on Saturday sustained serious injuries in a hit-and-run incident in Riverside. The driver remained at large Sunday night.
Around 9:10 p.m. Saturday following a “No Kings” rally and a protest against immigration raids, a large group of demonstrators was marching in the street along University Avenue between Main and Orange streets, said Officer Ryan J. Railsback, the Riverside Police Department public information officer.
Railsback said a “speeding SUV drove around the march and struck a female pedestrian before fleeing the scene.”
Police have not released the name of the woman who was hit, but KCAL interviewed friends of the victim who identified her as a 21-year-old who recently celebrated her birthday. They told the news outlet that she suffered severe skull injuries as well as a cracked rib, punctured lung and broken leg. As of Sunday afternoon, they said, she was in a medically induced coma and was set to undergo a second surgery.
Railsback said paramedics “treated the victim at the scene. Then she was transported to a local hospital with significant injuries in stable condition.”
At the time of the collision, there were two protests in the area — one was part of the “No Kings” rallies taking place across the country. Another was a demonstration against raids by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
“The groups merged early on,” Railsback said. “And we have no reason to believe the driver was part of this protest.”
Investigators are not only seeking the driver but also trying to determine if the incident was intentional or politically linked.
“We don’t know if it was accidental or not, but we are investigating it as an assault with a deadly weapon at this time,” Railsback said.
The KCAL report said video from the scene showed protesters approaching the black SUV. One of the demonstrators bumped into the car’s left taillight, and another smashed it with an object. The driver then quickly turned into the crowd and ran over the woman. The car sped away as people chased after it, according to this description.
“We are aware of the various social media videos that are being circulated and are using those to help us identify the driver,” Railsback said.
- Share via
Peace outside City Hall in downtown L.A. as curfew arrives
Protesters made one last march to the complex of federal buildings in downtown L.A. on Sunday evening, stopping in front of a line of Homeland Security agents, police officers and U.S. Marines — but the vibe remained upbeat. Some demonstrators played music; cars passing by handed out water bottles; and several protesters wished the law enforcement and stationed military a happy Father’s Day.
As curfew approached, the crowd made it back to City Hall, but numbers dwindled. Daniel Fuentes, who’d been translating chants and updates for Spanish-speaking members of the crowd, reminded everyone to get home safe.
“God bless and good night,” he said into a megaphone before walking off. A few thanked the LAPD officers posted outside City Hall; others cheered before heading out.
Just before 8 p.m., there were only three people left on the City Hall steps, and nearby L.A. police officers didn’t seem concerned. Sunday appeared to be the first night in days that curfew arrived without a violent standoff or arrests.
Bryan Sagastume, for one, was glad to be going home without the sting of tear gas Sunday; he said he was gassed several times Saturday night. This evening, though, he stood calmly in front of the quiet City Hall, holding up a Mexican flag, where his mother is from. He wanted to stay out as long as possible.
“Both my parents are immigrants,” the 25-year-old said. “They grew up here, working hard … no criminals, nothing like that. And I just feel like what Trump is doing is wrong.”
He was born in the U.S., so he feels safe to come out and protest — and wants to do so for those who can’t. Still, it’s stressful.
“My mom’s been, like, not going outside the house, staying home,” he said. “She’s scared right now to go outside.”
As he started to go — leaving behind only two protesters — a helicopter could be heard overhead, and a coyote darted across North Spring Street.
- Share via
Smaller but determined crowds march downtown as heat rises: ‘L.A.’s too hot for ICE’
Downtown Los Angeles was much quieter Sunday afternoon than it was during Saturday’s heavily attended “No Kings” protests. But — amid summer-like heat — around 200 activists were determined to keep the anti-ICE and anti-Trump protests going.
Christopher Lee carried a sign that said “L.A.’s too hot for ICE” as the temperature climbed to near 90.
“Today’s been modest,” the 39-year-old Venice resident said, “but it’s good to see so many people willing to keep up the momentum.”
“ICE out of LA!” a group chanted as they marched between City Hall and the Metropolitan Detention Center to a chorus of supportive honks from motorists passing by. “Whose streets? Our streets!”
Sean Patterson wasn’t able to make it to Saturday’s massive protests against the Trump administration and immigration raids, so he and a friend decided to camp out in front of City Hall on Sunday.
“I can’t sit by ... when this is all going on,” said Patterson, a 23-year-old Hollywood resident. “It just feels like we’re slowly inching closer and closer to … anything people in power want to happen can happen.”
Neither Lee nor Patterson had seen clashes between protesters and law enforcement or military on Sunday. They said they planned to leave before the 8 p.m. curfew went into effect.
After an afternoon that hit a high of 89 degrees in downtown LA, according to the National Weather Service, Ed Ramirez was starting to run low on cold drinks in his cooler. He’d been giving out free waters — and selling other cold drinks — to protesters on the march. The Ventura County resident said he had been at protests in downtown L.A. for most of the last week with his speaker and his cooler.
“I did really good yesterday,” the 50-year-old said. “What goes around comes around.”
He said Sunday’s crowd was youthful overall, so he was less worried about their health in the heat, but he was happy he was able to dole out waters.
Ramirez said he’d been able to become a citizen through President Reagan’s immigration reforms in the 1980s after coming to the U.S. from Mexico. Now, though, “there’s no talk about a pathway to legalization for millions of folks that we have here undocumented.”
He said it was an “injustice” that people were being forcibly removed from their communities.
“I come from a family of immigrants. … Love your country, but never trust its government,” he said, as he reminded a young protester he could take water for free, but $5 for beer or Gatorade.
- Share via
35 taken into custody downtown during ‘No Kings’ protests, 561 total arrested in last week
During Saturday’s “No Kings” protests downtown, Los Angeles police used forceful tactics to disperse and redirect demonstrators but made relatively few arrests — most of them for curfew violations, the department said.
But hundreds have been arrested by the LAPD since June 7 related to immigration-raid protest activity. Police on Sunday announced 561 total arrests.
Over the day and evening hours Saturday, officers arrested 35 people for curfew violations, one for failure to disperse, one for resisting, obstructing or delaying an officer and one for resisting arrest.
The department also reported that three officers were injured; the LAPD said 12 had been injured over the last week’s protests but did not describe the nature of the injuries.
Saturday’s protests, which were meant to express opposition to the Trump administration, attracted tens of thousands of participants across Southern California. A few hundred were centered near the downtown federal building, which has been a hot spot in the week since the crackdown on protesters began. Officers on horseback pushed back hundreds of protesters and charged into the crowd. Police fired tear gas canisters and shot less-lethal munitions.
Protesters, according to police, were throwing bricks, bottles and other objects and issued a dispersal order around 4 p.m., but few in the crowd seemed to realize the order had been given.
Within minutes, police had cleared the area and moved people away from the federal building.
- Share via
How to ease kids’ fears about the ICE raids
- Share via
Conversations about the ICE raids are unfolding in immigrant households across the Los Angeles region as children of all ages ask big questions about the potential risk their loved ones may face.
Parents are often conflicted about how much to tell their children about difficult issues in the first place, and this time is no different as a heightened sense of fear reverberates among Angelenos who are undocumented immigrants. Here’s how experts say families can help kids through their anxiety.
- Share via
Bikinis, wigs and flowers: Scattered immigration protests continue in downtown L.A.
On the steps of Los Angeles City Hall Thursday afternoon, several dozen protesters held Mexican and American flags and signs with anti-ICE and anti-Trump messages.
Seven women in bikinis and colorful wigs stood in the searing sunlight cheering and waving signs with messages such as “Hot girl summer melt ICE” and “Immigrants make this country Great.”
Sydney, 34, wore a red bikini and black bandana over her face and declined to give her name out of concern about retaliation. But the San Fernando Valley resident said she was there to oppose ICE raids and the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown.
“We want people to know the majority of protesters are not violent,” she said. “They come from different walks of life. And women hold an important place in these protests.”
Arielle, 41, wore a two-piece cow print bathing suit and also declined to give her name. The Hollywood resident said two of her grandparents fled persecution in Europe and the Middle East before her parents immigrated to the U.S. years ago.
“This is literally a country of immigrants,” she said. “People like me who come from different countries are exactly what America is.”
She said she is dismayed to see tactics with echoes of those her ancestors fled being used in L.A.
“We can look at Germany and we can look at history and it repeats itself,” Arielle said. “I am no different from people being ripped from their homes right now.”
More than a dozen L.A. sheriff’s deputies and LAPD officers wearing flak jackets and belts with wooden batons and zip ties stood at the top of City Hall’s steps, peering down at the proceedings.
Janina Turcios, 36, said she wanted to protest Saturday but had to work. So she went to City Hall on Sunday to hold up a handmade sign that said “ICE you’re not above the Constitution” and to make her voice heard.
“We just want to abolish ICE. There’s no need for them to be running over constitutional rights and abusing people,” she said.
Where she lives in Compton, immigration raids have been a frequent occurrence in recent days, Turcios said.
“I feel like they’re just trying to grab every brown person they can and they don’t care if they’re citizens or not, and that’s illegal,” she said. “It’s really sad the way they’re doing it.”
Meanwhile, a few blocks away, a dozen uniformed members of the National Guard with long guns and two LAPD officers in all black stood guard behind the Edward R. Roybal Federal Building early Sunday afternoon.
A lone protester stood on the sidewalk facing them and the massive military vehicles behind them with a flower bouquet in hand.
- Share via
Trump curbs immigration enforcement at farms, meatpacking plants, hotels and restaurants
WASHINGTON — The Trump administration directed immigration officers to pause arrests at farms, restaurants and hotels after the president expressed alarm about the impact of his aggressive enforcement, an official said Saturday.
The move marks a remarkable turnabout in Trump’s immigration crackdown since he took office in January. It follows weeks of increased enforcement since Stephen Miller, White House deputy chief of staff and main architect of Trump’s immigration policies, said U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers would target at least 3,000 arrests a day, up from about 650 a day during the first five months of Trump’s second term.
- Share via
A day after ‘No Kings’ protest, downtown L.A. wakes to calm
It was a quiet and sunny morning in downtown Los Angeles Sunday.
There were few people out on the streets, and it would seem like an average hungover weekend if not for the few scattered protesters with signs and groups of military members posted outside government buildings and courthouses.
At an open-air table at Grand Central Market, Tim Gorry and Ben Basilan, both 44, drank coffee in the morning breeze as tourists took pictures and ate bagels and breakfast burritos.
“We decided to come down here for breakfast,” said Basilan who was visiting from Redondo Beach. “It’s been very quiet. Today it’s been totally normal.”
Gorry, who lives near the market just a couple blocks from City Hall, said they picked up bagels across the street earlier and were just enjoying their morning.
“Just normal activities, something we would have done on any given Sunday,” he said.
The pair participated in the protests downtown on Saturday, then left downtown via Metro to watch a women’s soccer match, returning to the Bunker Hill station around 10 pm. Even at that hour, the mood was not elevated in the surrounding area, a short walk from the center of the “No Kings” protest, they said.
“When we got back, we were watching the news and there were scenes of people being unruly, but we never saw that,” Gorry said.
“If we hadn’t known there was a curfew, we wouldn’t really have known anything was going on.”
Asked about the potential for violence or unruly protests in the coming weeks, their opinions differed.
“As far as concern over my sense of personal safety, with looting and everything, I think we’re at the tail end of it,” Gorry said.
But with the Trump administration saying it plans to have a military presence in Los Angeles for a minimum of 60 days and immigration raids continuing across L.A. county, Basilan worries there could be more trouble ahead.
“I think it will keep getting more and more provoked,” he said. “There’s this mentality of keep paying attention to me, and every time [Trump] needs more attention or something goes wrong he’ll provoke it more.”
- Share via
Will mom get detained? Is dad going to work? Answering kids’ big questions amid ICE raids
By the time Josefina and her husband sat down to talk, the immigration raids had been going on for days, and protests over the federal actions had turned violent in parts of downtown Los Angeles.
At night, they could hear the helicopters from their Boyle Heights home.
- Share via
Witnesses say immigration agents raided concert at Santa Fe swap meet
- Share via
Armed, masked ICE agents executed a raid Saturday afternoon at a swap meet in the city of Santa Fe Springs hours before a concert was to begin, witnesses said.
The agents arrived at Santa Fe Springs Swap Meet around 3:30 p.m., according to eyewitness Howie Rezendez, who filmed agents hop off their vehicles and head into the venue with arms in hand.
- Share via
Nezza says she sang national anthem in Spanish at Dodger Stadium against team’s wishes
Singer and social media personality Nezza sang the national anthem in Spanish at Dodger Stadium on Saturday night.
And, according to a video the performer later posted to social media, she did so against the wishes of the Dodgers organization.
- Share via
Voices from the ‘No Kings’ rally in downtown L.A.
- Share via
- Share via
Immigration raids continue as Trump appears to soften on targeting some workplaces
Immigration raids continued to spark anxiety and anger over the weekend across Southern California, even as President Trump appeared to signal he might back off from some workplace raids.
Armed, masked U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents executed a raid Saturday afternoon at a swap meet in Santa Fe Springs hours before a concert was to begin, witnesses said.
- Share via
L.A. neighborhoods clear out as immigration raids send people underground
A week of immigration sweeps across Southern California has left some communities eerily quiet, with some residents saying they are avoiding going out and attending to routine business out of fear of being stopped.
Among the places where residents and merchants say foot traffic is way down include the normally bustling MacArthur Park area, downtown Downey and the Fashion District, which saw a large immigration raid June 6. Some car washes, which were a frequent target of agents last week, have also temporarily closed.
- Share via
Fears of racial profiling rise as Border Patrol conducts ‘roving patrols,’ detains U.S. citizens
Brian Gavidia had stepped out from working on a car at a tow yard in a Los Angeles suburb Thursday when armed, masked men — wearing vests with “Border Patrol” on them — pushed him up against a metal gate and demanded to know where he was born.
“I’m American, bro!” 29-year-old Gavidia pleaded, in video taken by a friend.
- Share via
The Trump immigration raids: Stunning, yet predictable
The threats weren’t subtle.
President Trump promised throughout his campaign that he would conduct the largest mass deportation in U.S. history. Migrants, he said, were “poisoning the blood” of the country and “getting them out will be a bloody story.”
- Share via
Voices from the raids: How families are coping with the sudden apprehension of loved ones
The last words Inglewood resident Noemi Ciau heard from her husband Sunday were a simple request.
“If you need money or anything else, call me,” she recalls him telling her.
- Share via
Mexico wins its Gold Cup opener, but ‘El Tri’ fans were in no celebratory mood
Mexico beat the Dominican Republic 3-2 in the first game of the monthlong CONCACAF Gold Cup.
Yet even the team’s biggest fans found it hard to celebrate given what was going on just a dozen miles away, where hundreds of people protested in front of police, National Guard troops and U.S. Marines during the eighth day of protests over federal immigration raids aimed at the Latino community.
- Share via
Angel City FC wears shirts declaring itself ‘Immigrant City Football Club’
Angel City FC players and staff wore T-shirts and read a pregame message declaring their support for immigrants on Saturday, a day of protest against ICE raids throughout Los Angeles.
The front of the black T-shirts read: “Immigrant City Football Club.”
- Share via
‘I need to stand up.’ Anti-Trump protests outside the Mexico-Dominican Republic game
Waving Mexican flags and signs criticizing President Trump, about 300 people overtook sidewalks in Inglewood on Saturday afternoon in the hours leading up to the soccer game between the Mexican and Dominican Republic national teams.
Esmeralda Sanchez, who was not attending the game at SoFi Stadium, said she came to the rally to support family members and friends who are not in the country legally.
“We are the voice that our parents and the older generation couldn’t be today,” Sanchez said over the sound of horns and cheers.
The parking lot outside the stadium felt relatively subdued, with some fans making carne asada on portable grills and others waving Mexican flags.
Emilio Estrada and Ashley Ruiz from Bakersfield posed for a photo in front of the lake by the stadium, saying their parents had been fretting about their visit to L.A.
“My mom kept calling me as we drove down,” Estrada said.
Jesse Murillo of Orange County said attending the game to support the Mexican national team felt like a clear sign of protest against the federal government.
“We’re not afraid to come out here and show our colors,” he said. “No matter what, our people have always found a way to be here.”
His friend Richard Barrera said many people were afraid because so much information, and misinformation, is ricocheting around social media.
“So many people are living in fear and that seems unfair, because you see so much online and then it turns out ICE isn’t there,” Barrera said.
Across the street from the stadium, Inglewood native Jorge Gomez said he had been nervous about attending any protests because of the immigration raids playing out across Southern California.
“I’ve been trying to be more wary, be more careful,” he said. “I shouldn’t be out here, but I am — because deep down inside is something that keeps telling me that this is wrong and I need to stand up.”
- Share via
The music, chants and horns of peaceful demonstrations in Los Angeles County
- Share via
The peaceful demonstrations in the Los Angeles area were loud with music, chants and horns. Tens of thousands of demonstrators fanned out across Southern California Saturday for “No Kings” protests against President Trump. Many depicted the president as an aspiring monarch who violates democratic norms. Trump has clashed with California leaders over his deployment of the military to clamp down on protests sparked by immigration raids.
- Share via
Witnesses say immigration agents raided concert at swap meet
Armed, masked ICE agents executed a raid Saturday afternoon at a swap meet in the city of Santa Fe Springs hours before a concert was to begin, witnesses said.
- Share via
The agents arrived at Santa Fe Springs Swap Meet around 3:30 p.m., according to eyewitness Howie Rezendez, who filmed armed agents hop off their vehicles and head into the venue.
“There were around 50 to 80,” Rezendez said. “They had more than 30 cars and vans packed with agents, and three helicopters up there too.”
A concert featuring musical acts like Los Cadetes De Linares, Los Dinamicos Del Norte and La Nueva Rebelión was scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m. But online footage from witnesses show a nearly vacant venue, a stark contrast to the large crowds the venue typically attracts.
Rezendez said the agents left around 4:30 p.m. Omar Benjamin Zaldivar, who also recorded the agents, said ICE took “a bunch of people.”
“If you looked Hispanic in any way, they just took you,” Zaldivar said.
The number of people swept up from the raid remains unclear.
Shortly after the raid, swap meet officials postponed the concert.
“Later we will provide details,” the Instagram post said.
Swap meet officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The 17-acre outdoor hub first opened in 1965. Known as a hot spot for música Mexicana, the Santa Fe Springs Swap Meet hosts an outdoor concert every weekend. Other popular Latino swap meets in Los Angeles appeared similarly vacant amid the ongoing ICE raids.
The Whittier Swap Meet closed last week in preparation for possible raids.
The Whittier Police Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
- Share via
As curfew approaches, protesters face flash-bangs, pepper balls, rubber bullets
With less than two hours until the 8 p.m. curfew sets in, law enforcement pushed hundreds of protesters through downtown toward Los Angeles City Hall, releasing rubber bullets, flash-bangs, pepper balls and tear gas into the crowd.
The LAPD issued an order to disperse around 4 p.m. after a day of largely peaceful protests. Shortly afterward, Los Angeles Police Department officers and Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department deputies began moving in on the crowd, shooting less-lethal rounds.
Some protesters chanted, “Peaceful protest.” Others lobbed objects back at police officers, including glass bottles.
The pavement in front of City Hall was littered with blue rubber bullets. The Times watched as several protesters were hit by the less-lethal munitions. One teenage girl who took a rubber bullet to the stomach ran to the curb in pain, then officers began firing over her head from a different angle. Her friends gathered around her, one clutching a sign that read, “You picked the right time but the wrong generation.”
LAPD Deputy Chief Emada Tingirides said on KTLA-TV Channel 5 that officers had been “extremely patient throughout the day, allowing the 1st Amendment, allowing folks to express how they feel,” but issued a dispersal order when some protesters began lobbing rocks, bottles and other objects at police officers from a bridge.
“They had a high ground,” she said. “Our officers were attacked — we had to change course and begin crowd-control tactics.”
She added: “It poses a danger to the officers on the ground and a danger to the community, especially those that are protesting peacefully.”
After the LAPD began moving in on the crowd, many protesters were confused about where to go, trying to navigate blocked intersections and vehicles making their way through the crowd.
At the intersection of 1st Street and Broadway, some protesters scaled a chain-link fence to a dirt lot abutting Grand Park to get away from officers.
At Grand Park, one man in a white coat administered stitches to a protester who had been shot in the nose with a rubber bullet. The man helping him with the stitches said that another protester had had his finger broken.
- Share via
The ‘Mexican Beverly Hills’ reels from Trump immigration raids, forcing some to carry passports
With its stately homes and bustling business districts, Downey has long been known to some as the “Mexican Beverly Hills.”
But the Southeast L.A. County city of more than 110,000 people has been roiled this week by Trump immigration raids in Southern California, sparking both fear and outrage.
- Share via
‘Protest is patriotic.’ ‘No Kings’ demonstrations across L.A. against ICE sweeps, Trump presidency
Tens of thousands of demonstrators fanned out across Southern California on Saturday for “No Kings Day” protests against President Trump, depicting the president as an aspiring monarch who violates democratic norms as he has clashed with California leaders over his deployment of the military to clamp down on at times violent protests sparked by immigration raids.
The images — signs referencing the nation’s 1776 founding, crossed-out crowns; American, Mexican, Guatemalan and El Salvadoran flags; and the words “protest is patriotic” — stood in stark contrast to displays in Washington, D.C., where Trump’s birthday coincided with a day of carefully orchestrated concerts and exhibitions celebrating the U.S. Army’s 250th birthday before an up to $45-million parade with tanks and soldiers in fatigues.
- Share via
LAPD issues dispersal order downtown, fires tear gas and rubber bullets
- Share via
Tensions rose downtown late Saturday afternoon as Los Angeles Police Department officers on horseback pushed back hundreds of protesters from the Federal Building, charged into the crowd on horseback, fired tear gas canisters and shot less-lethal munitions.
The LAPD issued a dispersal order around 4 p.m., saying some protesters were “throwing rocks, bricks, bottles and other objects,” but few in the crowd seemed to realize the order had been given. Within minutes, police had cleared the area and moved people away from the troops.
Tens of thousands of demonstrators took to the streets across Southern California on Saturday to voice their concerns over ongoing immigration raids and oppose the policies of President Trump, who they depicted as an aspiring monarch.
The Federal Building on North Los Angeles Street became a focal point in the afternoon hours of the “No Kings” protest, with hundreds of people gathering in front of the U.S. Marines and members of the California National Guard who were guarding the building. Some in the crowd chanted at the troops, including “Leave L.A.” and “We don’t want you.”
Violet Martinez, 23, said he was at the Federal Building when the LAPD horseback officers charged into the crowd. He said some people were trampled by horses and others were hit with rubber bullets.
“They put on their gas masks then began firing tear gas,” Martinez said. “There was no reason to do that.”
At 1st and Los Angeles streets a few blocks away, hundreds of demonstrators, some yelling and cursing, met with lines of LAPD officers. One man with an American flag draped over his neck began yelling at the officers, “Peaceful protest!” Some officers began firing less-lethal munitions at members of the crowd, and attempted to hit some demonstrators with batons.
Police officers on horseback formed a line as wide as 1st Street, pushing the crowd toward Alameda Street, intermittently firing rubber bullets and yelling, “Move, move, get out of the area.” The downtown area is under an 8 p.m. curfew.
Jose Ubaldo, a spokesperson for L.A. Metro, said trains are bypassing the Little Tokyo station.
- Share via
404: We stopped by the ‘No Kings’ rally in downtown L.A. to chat with some protesters
- Share via
- Share via
‘Leave L.A.,’ protesters chant at Marines in downtown L.A.
A crowd of a few hundred protesters confronted dozens of Marines guarding the Federal Building in downtown L.A. on Saturday following a largely peaceful march over President Trump’s policies.
The crowd chanted “Shame,” “Leave L.A.,” and “We don’t want you” at the group, which also included National Guard troops.
- Share via
John Lauri, 30, pushed to the front of the crowd and repeatedly yelled, “Follow your oath!”
“The only insurrection here is the United States government sending its own soldiers against us,” said Lauri, who had draped himself in an American flag for the day of protests. “We need to led the federal government know we will not be tread on.”
Some 200 Marines are in Los Angeles, guarding federal buildings in downtown L.A. and Westwood in an unprecedented show of power that’s strongly opposed by Mayor Karen Bass and Gov. Gavin Newsom. Newsom has also gone to court in an effort to remove the National Guard.
Trump administration officials said they are responding to the “rioters, looters and thugs” who have protested in downtown over immigration sweeps in Los Angeles.
On Saturday, some protesters peppered the Marines with questions and demands: Why are you here? Quit your job! What are you defending? Go home!
“This is not an acceptable use of our military. This is not an acceptable use of our service members,” said Corey O’Malley, a 42-year-old sociologist. “It creates a whole other level of hostility and intimidation.”
Every few minutes, a protester would single out one of the Marines and attempt to converse to no avail.
“They’re completely ignoring me,” said Dylan Kenin, a 48-year-old actor, who stood in front of the solders with a sign saying, “Real men care.”
- Share via
From Ojai to South Bay, anti-Trump protesters take to the streets
Carrying signs and American flags, protesters took to the streets across Southern California to express their outrage over President Trump’s policies.
In Ojai, a sleepy city north of Los Angeles, hundreds of protesters lined the sidewalks of Ojai Avenue.
In Long Beach, crowds gathered to wave rainbow flags at Bixby Park. And in Studio City, throngs of people marched along Ventura Boulevard.
The marches — dubbed “No Kings” demonstrations — were planned to denounce the “authoritarian excesses and corruption from Trump and his allies,” according to 50501, a coalition organizing the event. The group’s name stands for 50 protests, 50 states, 1 movement.
In Los Angeles County, marches were scheduled in Woodland Hills, Beverly Hills, West Hollywood, Pasadena, Whittier, Thousand Oaks, South Bay and scores of other areas.
The events were scheduled before federal authorities launched immigration sweeps in the region last week, prompting protests in downtown L.A. The Trump administration then ordered in the National Guard and Marines over the objections of California political leaders, sparking more anger.
Some social media posts and photos shared between friends showed Saturday’s crowds in a festive mood. In downtown L.A., state Sen. Maria Elena Durazo danced with protesters at Plaza Olvera. Nearby, a group chanted and carried a “Defend Democracy” sign.
Saturday’s march in downtown L.A. drew 30,000 people, the Los Angeles Police Department said.
In Torrance, some 10,000 people turned out, according to organizers.
There were few reports of incidents. In Huntington Beach, protesters and a pro-Trump crowd marched across the street from one another. Some people in the groups shouted back and forth.
Protesters took care to create catchy signs. In Ojai, a woman carried a sign that read: “Eggs are expensive because all the chickens are in Congress.”
In Torrance, Linwood resident Belen Pacheco, 24, carried a sign that said, “ICE belongs in my Horchata, not my City!” Saturday’s demonstration was her first protest, she said.
Talk show host Jimmy Kimmel — wearing a shirt that said “Make America Good Again” —posted a photo on social media of himself with his parents out at a march.
“A huge, inspiring and yes - peaceful - turnout in the South Bay. I met many people who love this country and still believe it to be a force for good,” he wrote.
- Share via
A sea of homemade signs and a Trump blimp: Scenes from L.A.’s ‘No Kings’ protest
An estimated 30,000 protesters have gathered in downtown Los Angeles to demonstration against President Donald Trump’s policies, an event coming amid concerns over a recent federal crackdown on immigration that has elevated tensions in the city.
Here are some scenes from today’s demonstration.
- Share via
All of L.A. is not a ‘war zone.’ We separate facts from spin and disinformation amid immigration raids
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement conducted a series of immigration sweeps starting Friday afternoon and into the weekend that sparked an outpouring of protests in the heart of Los Angeles and caused a flurry of disinformation online.
Over the last several days, rumors of extreme scenarios have seeped into the public discourse about ICE raids at school graduations, local Home Depots and at hotels where agents are staying.
- Share via
How did a rumor about an ICE raid on a homeless shelter escalate to Mayor Bass?
At a news conference Thursday, Mayor Karen Bass made a startling claim.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents had appeared at a homeless shelter that day, among other sensitive locations in Los Angeles, she said.
- Share via
‘Hate will not make us great’: Big turnout in Torrance over Trump
Torrance Boulevard was packed with crowds Saturday for nearly a mile from Hawthorne Boulevard to Maple Avenue.
The raids have felt personal to many in Torrance, where 9-year-old Torrance Elementary School student and his father were recently deported to Honduras after being detained during an immigration hearing in Los Angeles in late May.“
“When I saw that fourth grade boy taken from his family, it gave me chills thinking of how scared he was,” said Laurie Pisano, a retired school librarian from Rancho Palos Verdes. “Democracy is important, and that’s not what’s happening now.”
Passing drivers leaned on their horns while thousands of demonstrators waved homemade signs and American flags along the busy thoroughfare.
The protest was of one of dozens “No Kings” marches planned for Southern California to voice opposition to the Trump administration’s policies.
Isa Anderson, 85, and Linda Evans, 81, stood side by side with a sign that read: “Hate will not make us great!”
“We need to preserve our country for our young people. Science is under threat. Our environment is under threat. Women are under threat,” said Anderson.
“We old people need to make sure our errors are not being repeated. We voted for the wrong people.”
“We didn’t vote for him,” Evans interjected.
Dean Nelson, a retired Lutheran bishop from San Pedro, said Saturday’s protest was far larger that recent demonstrations he and his wife had attended in the South Bay.
“What this administration has been doing is wrong and evil,” Nelson said.
“We’re out for her,” said Torrance resident Chang Park, gesturing to his 8-year-old daughter perched on his shoulders, wearing a pair of heart-shaped sunglasses and holding a cardboard “No Kings” sign.
“This is a nightmare right now,” said Park, a UCLA neuroscientist. The family had previously participated in protests to cuts to science funding.
- Share via
‘Fighting for those who can’t fight’: Protesters side with migrants in downtown L.A.
As thousands of people flocked to downtown L.A. to protest President Trump, many marchers said they were inspired to come out on behalf of immigrants.
“We’re fighting for those who can’t fight for themselves, the undocumented people of color, all those who put their heart and soul into making this city — this country — what it is,” said Barbara Guterac, 56.
L.A.’s “No Kings” protest , which seeks to challenge President Trump’s executive overreach, was planned before the immigration raids that gripped Los Angeles over the last week.
While immigration was a major theme at Saturday’s march, protest signs targeted a wide range of issues, including abortion and LGBTQ rights. Other signs compared Trump to a dictator.
Guterac, who lives in Orange County, said she knew of many people who wanted to come to Saturday’s march, but were instead hiding at home, terrified of getting detained by immigration agents.
“They don’t know if they’re gonna be snatched up on the street, snatched up at a traffic light, or at work,” she said.
She said she’d encouraged the undocumented people in her life to stay home from Saturday’s event. She even told her brother, a U.S. citizen, to stay home because she worried his tattoos could make him a target.
Veronica Guzman, 63, said she had come out for the children of undocumented immigrants.
“They have to go to school, fearing their parents cannot go to work,” she said. “Are they going to have a roof over their head? Are they going to have food on their table? What child can concentrate at school?”
She said she knew people who had voted for Donald Trump.
Now, she said, some were out with her at Saturday’s protest.
Anji Gaspar-Milanovic, 51, the child of immigrants, said she’d been disgusted at how the recent immigration raids had been carried out.
“It breaks your heart,” said Gaspar-Milanovic, who said she’d watched footage circulating yesterday of a U.S. citizen interrogated by agents. The man, who is Latino, said agents took his ID. “The way this is being carried out is inhumane and cruel.”
- Share via
Immigration ‘notario’ scams coming back under Trump’s crackdown, authorities warn
After she was assaulted by her romantic partner in 2000 while living in Los Angeles County, Maria Gutierrez Aragon turned to a family friend who said he could help her secure immigration papers.
Because she had been the victim of a crime, the friend said, he could help her obtain authorization to stay in the U.S.
- Share via
Thousands of protesters flood downtown L.A. to demonstrate against Trump
- Share via
Thousands of people streamed into downtown L.A. on Saturday morning to protest President Trump and his policies.
Along Hill Street, crowds of demonstrators carrying signs and waving flags made their way to Grand Park — a central gathering place before the march kicked off — and passed National Guard troops protecting a federal building.
Richard Ramsey wore a shirt that showed a crossed-out crown and the words “No Kings.”
He said he came from Tustin in Orange County to join the protest because he wanted to be around like minded-people, and expressed concern about the “overreach” of the Trump administration. He also said he wants to preserve democracy for his kids and grandkids.
“We live in a democracy not an autocracy,” Ramsey, 66, said.
Above Grand Park, a large balloon of a “baby” President Trump hovered above as the sound of drums echoed through the Civic Center area.
Nearby, street vendors hawked American flags and bacon-covered hot dogs.
Purchasing flags, Elidia Buenrostro, 29, and her 6-year-old daughter, Aithana, said they came on behalf of family members who are living in the country illegally.
The pair wore shirts designed with the colors of the Mexican and Guatemalan flags.
Buenrostro’s daughter held a small sign that read “Families Belong Together” and displayed stick figures representing her family.
Buenrostro called the use of U.S. Marines on American soil an abuse of power by the president.
“We don’t stand for that,” she said.
Sitting with a flag that is part American and part Guatemalan, Noreen Ahmed, 37, was trying to take in the moment.
“This is celebratory but is also…” she said, pausing to reflect. “This is power. This is people responding back and this is what’s going to turn things around.”
Ahmed, who is Pakistani, brought the flag because her friend is Guatemalan and her grandmother had just passed away. Trump’s return to the White House amid the immigration raids and travel ban has made her feel overwhelmed.
As a case manager working with families including immigrants, she’s had a difficult time trying to find words to express to people.
“You can’t say things will be OK, you can’t promise anything,” she said. “But this I can do at the very least.”
- Share via
Agitators? Narcissists? L.A. politicians search for the words to sum up protest chaos
L.A.’s Little Tokyo neighborhood was a mess on Monday. Windows were shattered in multiple locations. Graffiti seemed like it was everywhere. State Assemblymember Mark Gonzalez (D-Los Angeles) had had enough.
Gonzalez, who took office in December, had already voiced outrage over the immigration raids being conducted in his downtown district. But this time, he took aim at the people he called “anti-ICE rioters,” portraying them as narcissists and urging them to stay far away from the demonstrations happening downtown.
- Share via
Mayor Bass calls for peaceful demonstration
Hours before protesters were set to descend upon L.A., Mayor Karen Bass made a plea for peaceful demonstration, warning that “the eyes of the world” were on Los Angeles.
“Please, please, do not give the administration an excuse to intervene,” she said ahead of dozens of protests over President Trump’s policies.
Scores of “No Kings” demonstrations challenging the Trump administration’s executive overreach are planned for Southern California, demonstrations that follow a week of L.A. protests over federal immigration enforcement.
Bass said an 8 p.m. curfew for parts of downtown would remain in effect Saturday night and implored protesters to stay away from the violence and vandalism seen on previous nights.
“Don’t even try,” she warned.
Bass emphasized there had been no cooperation between the Los Angeles Police Department and the federal government over the outside troops, leaving her and other local leaders to guess where the officers would crop up Saturday.
“We are functioning based on rumors that we hear: ‘The Guard is here. The Marines are there,”” she said. “You can imagine the concern and the fear that creates when we don’t really know what one side is doing.
“I’m still waiting to hear if the president will take my call,” she added.
Bass also acknowledged the apparent assassination hours earlier of a Minnesota state legislator, who had been killed in “an act of targeted political violence,” according to Gov. Tim Walz.
“One of the things that was the most troubling about this is that it appeared to be motivated by political viewpoints,” she said. “Political violence just has no place in our country.”
The LAPD has arrested more than 520 people since protests began more than a week ago.
Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell said he was prepared for tens of thousands of protesters to flood the streets Saturday. Police officers, he said, had been deployed “strategically” and would continue to operate under a unified command with the California Highway Patrol, the sheriff’s department, and the city’s fire department.
“Let me be very, very clear,” he said. “If you’re here in Los Angeles today to make your voice heard through peaceful demonstrations, we are here to protect you.”
Interim Fire Chief Ronnie Villanueva said the LAFD had also beefed up resources by holding back its outgoing shift of firefighters.
- Share via
Hernández: Cowardly Dodgers remain silent as ICE raids terrorize their fans
As part of their Pride Night celebration, a Dodgers official received a commemorative scroll from Los Angeles County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath before the team opened its three-game series against the San Francisco Giants.
“It is truly my pleasure to be celebrating Pride with the Dodgers,” Horvath said. “Especially a time like this to have the Dodgers look at our community and see all of us, and celebrate everyone, especially our LGBTQ community, it is just so incredibly special.”
- Share via
Los Angeles and cities across the nation brace for ‘No Kings’ protests
Scores of “No Kings” demonstrations challenging President Trump’s executive overreach are planned for Southern California and the nation following a tumultuous week that saw the National Guard and Marines arrive in L.A. after local protests over federal immigration enforcement.
Videos of ICE agents chasing people in Los Angeles streets and parking lots have outraged L.A. political leaders, launched demonstrations and led to hundreds of arrests.
Late this week, a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement official reportedly told the department this week to pause immigration operations at hotels, restaurants and agricultural and meat-packing facilities, though it’s unclear how L.A. would be affected.
In D.C., President Trump is expected at the U.S. Army’s 250th anniversary, where a massive parade involving military hardware and troops is planned. Saturday also marks Trump’s 79th birthday.
- Share via
After Ambiance Apparel raid, Fashion District businesses, workers wait in fear
An eerie quiet hung over the Fashion District in downtown Los Angeles on Thursday. Entire stretches of storefronts were shuttered. The only noise was the low thump from a boombox in front of a boba shop.
At what few businesses were open, customers were few and far between. A rumor had circulated — via a WhatsApp screenshot — that two large clothing wholesalers in the area were scheduled to be raided that day, several owners and employees said.
- Share via
Trump’s case for sending troops to help ICE involves precedent from Fugitive Slave Act
Despite a stinging rebuke from a federal judge Thursday, military forces deployed in Los Angeles will remain under presidential control through the weekend, setting up a series of high-stakes showdowns.
On the streets of Los Angeles, protesters will continue to be met with platoons of armed soldiers. State and local officials remain in open conflict with the president. And in the courts, Trump administration lawyers are digging deep into case law in search of archaic statutes that can be cited to justify the ongoing federal crackdown — including constitutional maneuvers invented to enforce the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850.
- Share via
Why they protest: Voices from the downtown L.A. ICE demonstrations
During a week of protest, Los Angeles is the center stage of the national immigration debate, with pundits on both sides characterizing the fight through the lens of their respective viewpoints.
Not everyone is pleased with the actions — there has been vandalism, destruction and injuries — isolated yet striking moments that have at times overshadowed peaceful demonstrations. But for many out in the demonstrations, there was a message that they wanted to be heard.
- Share via
‘No Kings’ protests take place across Southern California today. Here are their locations
A week after protests in Los Angeles brought nationwide attention to Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids taking place across the Southland, a nationwide “No Kings” demonstration challenging executive overreach is expected to bring thousands of people to the streets on Saturday.
At least a dozen different groups are planning to protest in the Los Angeles area Saturday, following eight consecutive days of downtown demonstrations that have condemned federal operations aimed at chasing down and capturing unauthorized immigrants at their jobs and on city streets.
- Share via
Chasing ICE: The mad scramble to track immigration raids across L.A. County
Giovanni Garcia pulled up to a dusty intersection in South Gate and scoped the scene. It was quiet, just folks walking home from work, but Garcia was among several people drawn there in hopes of bearing witness to one of the federal raids that have unfolded across Los Angeles County in recent days.
Just minutes before, several Instagram accounts had posted alerts warning that white pickup trucks with green U.S. Customs and Border Protection markings had been seen near the intersection.
- Share via
Senate Democrats urge Trump to remove National Guard, Marines from L.A.
The entire Senate Democratic caucus joined California’s Sen. Alex Padilla in urging President Trump to remove National Guardsmen and U.S. Marines from Los Angeles, writing in a letter that the deployment amounts to “an alarming abuse of executive authority.”
The deployment “continues to inflame the situation on the ground, and undermines the constitutional balance of power between the federal government and the states,” the letter reads. “We urge you to immediately withdraw all military personnel that have been deployed to Los Angeles unless their presence is explicitly requested by the Governor and local leaders.”
Padilla was forcibly removed and detained from an event with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Thursday after attempting to ask her a question on the ongoing raids conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.
An official with Padilla’s office said the letter amounted to “a significant push as the Senator finds ways to unite Democrats in the fight against Donald Trump’s overreach and abuse of power.”
- Share via
Trump military parade marks Army’s 250th anniversary amid nationwide ‘No Kings’ protests
WASHINGTON — Thousands of President Trump’s supporters descended on the nation’s capital Saturday for a parade marking the 250th anniversary of the founding of the U.S. Army, a rare spectacle of military hardware and uniformed soldiers filing down American streets.
The festivities, scheduled to coincide with Trump’s 79th birthday as well as Flag Day, drew as much MAGA paraphernalia as American flags to Constitution Avenue. Attendees who spoke with The Times all expressed support for the president.
- Share via
ICE agents reportedly told to pause arrests on farms, hotels and restaurants
Guidance from a top federal immigration official said agents should pause arrest on farms, hotels and restaurants, marking a change in the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown.
According to the New York Times, senior ICE official Tatum King, sent an email Thursday saying “please hold on all work site enforcement investigations/operations on agriculture (including aquaculture and meat packing plants), restaurants and operating hotels,.”
“Human trafficking, money laundering, drug smuggling into these industries are OK,” he added.
Over the last week, federal officials have conducted raids at a seemingly random series of businesses including car washes, Home Depots and farms across California.
A source told the Los Angeles Times this is the new prioritization. “We will follow the president’s direction and continue to work to get the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens off of America’s streets,” the source said.
Large numbers of immigrant workers work at hotels in L.A., and Mayor Karen Bass was asked about the reported change in tactics at a Saturday news conference.
“Well, once again, we function by rumors,” said Bass, who has been critical of the federal government for not communicating with her. “So I heard that rumor, too. I do not know if that is factual.”
Times staff writer Dakota Smith contributed to this report.
- Share via
L.A. braces for multiple ‘No Kings’ demonstrations across the city Saturday
Los Angeles and other major cities across the nation are girding for widespread demonstrations against the Trump administration Saturday as the federal government expands its aggressive immigration enforcement crackdown beyond Southern California.
In Washington, the Army will celebrate 250 years of service, as well as President Trump’s 79th birthday, with an unprecedented military parade. In response, many around the country will be gathering for “No Kings” demonstrations to voice their opposition to the Trump administration’s policies.
- Share via
Grand Central Market, an embodiment of immigrant L.A., confronts new climate of fear
Most weekdays the foot traffic and the din of business are constant in Grand Central Market, a food hall and staple of downtown’s historic core since 1917. In a way, the market, with its oldest stalls ranging from Mexican to Chinese to Salvadoran cuisines, is an embodiment of the immigrant experience in Los Angeles.
But this week, even at what are typically its peak hours, tables sat empty. The legendary market, like so many other restaurants and businesses across downtown, is losing business due to Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids and the neighborhood’s anti-ICE protests.
- Share via
MacArthur Park goes quiet amid ICE sweeps. ‘They’re targeting people that look like me’
On Friday morning, the area around MacArthur Park, a longtime immigrant hub west of downtown, was noticeably quieter than usual.
Gone were many of the vendors who once lined South Alvarado Street at all times of day, selling everything from baby formula to Lionel Messi jerseys.
- Share via
Video shows immigration agents interrogating a Latino U.S. citizen: ‘I’m American, bro!’
Brian Gavidia was at work on West Olympic Boulevard in Montebello at about 4:30 p.m. Thursday when he was told immigration agents were outside of his workplace.
Gavidia, 29, was born and raised in East Los Angeles and fixes and sells cars for a living. He said he stepped outside. And saw four to six agents.
- Share via
The Alex Padilla altercation was captured on video but still seen through a political lens
A day after federal agents forcibly restrained and handcuffed U.S. Sen Alex Padilla at a Los Angeles news conference, leaders of the country’s two political parties responded in what has become a predictable fashion — with diametrically opposed takes on the incident.
Padilla’s fellow Democrats called for an investigation and perhaps even the resignation of the senator’s nemesis, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, for what they described as the unprecedented manhandling of a U.S. senator who was merely attempting to ask a question of a fellow public official.