An image of one of the areas where a raid was carried out due to the massive presence of protesters.
In various closely monitored operations, immigration authorities arrested alleged undocumented immigrants at different locations throughout the city.
ICE conducted 4–5 operations in Los Angeles, including detentions at the Edward R. Roybal Federal Building (up to 200 people), raids at two Ambiance Apparel locations (24 detained), a Home Depot in Westlake (24 detained), and an underground nightclub (30 detained). Total arrests likely exceeded 250. ICE is on track for approximately 500,000 deportations in 2025, below the 1 million goal. Arrest rates rose from 820 per day in January to 2,000 per day in June, with a goal of 3,000 per day—a 144% increase.
Numerous protesters gathered to condemn the raids, and politicians and organizations urged the community not to be intimidated and to respond in an organized manner to these actions.
“These actions are escalating: agents arrive without warning and leave quickly, aware that our communities mobilize fast,” Los Angeles Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez said in a statement. “I urge Angelenos to stay alert.”
Officials from the Service Employees International Union stated that its California president, David Huerta, was detained and injured during a downtown raid “while exercising his First Amendment right to observe and document law enforcement activity.” The union said he was receiving medical care while in custody and called for his immediate release.
Videos showed federal agents chasing people in the parking lot of the Home Depot in Westlake, not far from downtown Los Angeles. A man recording the video can be heard warning people in Spanish that immigration officials were at the location and to stay away.
Another raid took place at a business in the Garment District, where agents in riot gear detained workers at a clothing store as dozens of people began to gather outside. As workers were led away in handcuffs, crowds shouted at the agents and recorded the scene with their phones, according to videos of the confrontation. One person threw eggs at a vehicle as agents pushed the crowd back, the footage showed.
All of this appears to be part of a broader crackdown on self-proclaimed sanctuary states and cities. The federal prosecutor appointed by Trump recently warned of an increase in arrests, and various reports have mentioned potential cuts to federal funding for California if it does not cooperate with federal authorities.
Videos circulating on social media appeared to show Los Angeles Police Department officers participating to some extent in the operations, prompting protester complaints.
“We are a sanctuary city; they should not be involved,” someone is heard saying in the videos.
