Federal agents denied entry to Dodger Stadium parking lot: Here is what really happened
- Share via
Federal immigration agents in a line of unmarked white vans and SUVs attempted to enter the parking lots of Dodger Stadium on Thursday morning, sparking a wave of speculation online about potential immigration enforcement at the ballpark.
But, according to Dodgers officials, the agents were denied entry to the grounds.
In photos posted on social media Thursday, a procession of vehicles appeared to attempt to enter Dodger Stadium through the ballpark’s main Sunset Gate off Vin Scully Avenue around 8 a.m. However, they were prevented from passing through a security checkpoint leading to the parking lot.
The caravan then relocated to the stadium’s Downtown Gate near the 110 Freeway. Dozens of vehicles gathered outside a closed parking lot fence, according to witnesses, before many began dispersing.
- Share via
Later in the morning, several dozen protesters gathered near what remained of the agents, who stood around three unmarked SUVs closer to the stadium’s entry gates but still outside the stadium parking lot.
Five agents — several covering their faces with gaiters and armed with pistols — stood between the vehicles. They did not wear identifying items or badges. When asked by a Times reporter which agency they were with, they said “DHS” and declined to comment further.
Eventually, police came to the scene and the agents drove away. The crowd of several dozen dispersed by the afternoon.
According to a statement by the team, the agents were denied entry to the Dodger Stadium grounds when they attempted to enter the parking lots.
Lopez: My theory for why Trump’s agents targeted Dodger Stadium and a bus stop outside Winchell’s
Has anybody checked Shohei Ohtani’s papers lately? Or those of Teoscar Hernández, Kim Hye-seong or Yoshinobu Yamamoto? And what about the doughnuts?
“This morning, ICE agents came to Dodger Stadium and requested permission to access the parking lots. They were denied entry to the grounds by the organization. Tonight’s game will be played as scheduled,” the statement said.
But both the Department of Homeland Security and its Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials took to social media to address Thursday’s events.
Responding to the team’s post on social media, ICE posted on X: “False. We were never there.”
The Department of Homeland Security, meanwhile, said it was Customs and Border Protection agents who were at the stadium, but not for an operation.
“This had nothing to do with the Dodgers. CBP vehicles were in the stadium parking lot very briefly, unrelated to any operation or enforcement,” the agency said.
A Los Angeles Police Department source, who requested anonymity in order to discuss internal matters, said federal agents had gathered near the stadium to conduct a briefing but had left by the time images of the gathering began circulating on social media.
Singer and social media star Nezza posted on TikTok that she sang national anthem in Spanish at Dodger Stadium Saturday despite the team’s objections.
However, at least some of the vehicles outside Dodger Stadium were believed to have been involved in an immigration raid at a Home Depot in Hollywood earlier in the morning, where several people were seen being arrested.
Emily Phillips, an Echo Park Rapid Response community member, shared photos with The Times of two vehicles that were at both the Hollywood Home Depot and Dodger Stadium on Thursday, as identified by their license plates.
Phillips also said a CBP officer at Dodger Stadium told her the agents were there to process the people they had arrested.
“We bring the detainees here to process them and conduct our investigation without public interference,” the agent said, according to Phillips, who wrote down his quote. “We can’t do it in the Home Depot parking lot because the public makes it dangerous.”
A majority of the ICE flights departing Victorville were headed to airports near detention centers in Arizona and Texas.
Homeland Security did not immediately respond to The Times’ request for comment about the agents’ actions at Dodger Stadium.
Among those protesting outside the stadium were members of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights, or CHIRLA.
“The fact that these raids continue is what we Angelenos should be very concerned about,” said CHIRLA member Jorge-Mario Cabrera, who was in contact with fellow members monitoring activity at the stadium Thursday. “Dodger Stadium is a place where Angeleno families come and have fun.”
The Dodgers have been under pressure since the raids began this month to make a statement in support of immigrants. The team also came under fire from some fans after singer and social media personality Nezza sang a Spanish version of the national anthem at Dodger Stadium in an act of protest against the immigration raids, despite being asked by a team employee to sing in English.
The Dodgers have declined to release a statement in support of their fans protesting ICE raids that have ripped apart families in Southern California.
On Wednesday, the team said it intended to announce plans on Thursday to assist the immigrant communities recently affected in Los Angeles.
But on Thursday, Dodgers President Stan Kasten said that announcement was being postponed “because of the events earlier today.”
“We continue to work with groups that were involved with our programs,” Kasten said. “But we are going to have to delay today’s announcement while we firm up some more details. We’ll get back to you soon with the timing.”
A small group of protesters positioned themselves outside of the main gate at Dodgers Stadium on Thursday night, where the Los Angeles was playing San Diego.
Security easily ushered the group, previously dozens in size, out of the way for traffic coming toward the stadium. Some held signs that said “ICE out of L.A.” in the shape of the Dodgers insignia, and others jabbed at President Trump’s character and immigration enforcement practices.
“If a felon can be president, then an immigrant can be a citizen,” a sign said.
At almost 10 p.m., one man was left demonstrating after the small crowd of protesters broke off one by one. The man, who asked not to be identified out of concern that he’d be targeted by immigration officials, held an upside-down American flag, which he said signified the “chaos” of the current administration.
“This is an immigrant country,” the man said. “He’s creating so much hate against our communities of immigrants… It’s not fair.”
Times staff writers Jack Flemming, Libor Jany, Andrew Campa, Bill Shaikin and Christopher Buchanan contributed to this report.
Sign up for Essential California
The most important California stories and recommendations in your inbox every morning.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
More From the Los Angeles Times
Podcasts
In this episode, we discuss the history here, what lessons were learned — and not — and how that can inform what we we do this time around as we attempt to rebuild Altadena and the Pacific Palisades.
Alexis Linkletter & Madison McGhee unpack the chaotic Justin Baldoni vs. Blake Lively lawsuit, separating fact from fiction, and its career impact.
Sammy Roth visits Ioneer’s proposed Rhyolite Ridge mine in Nevada with managing director Bernard Rowe, who details responsible lithium/boron extraction and Tiehm’s buckwheat protection.
