Federal immigration enforcement operations have triggered protests across California for the second consecutive day, as U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) conducted raids in Paramount on Saturday morning following similar operations across multiple Los Angeles locations on Friday.
Large groups of protesters quickly assembled near raid sites on both days, leading to traffic disruptions and escalating tensions with federal authorities.
Newsweek reached out to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department via email on Saturday for comment.
Why It Matters
These protests represent the most significant resistance to federal immigration enforcement since President Donald Trump’s return to office in January.
The clashes highlight deepening conflicts between sanctuary jurisdictions and federal immigration policy, as Trump has implemented sweeping changes through executive orders and utilized the wartime Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to expand deportation authority under border czar Tom Homan‘s leadership.
Los Angeles County maintains sanctuary policies, with local law enforcement refusing to participate in civil immigration enforcement. The current federal operations signal an escalation in immigration enforcement activities, while similar protests have spread to New York and Chicago, suggesting potential for broader resistance nationwide.
What To Know
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department confirmed to KTLA News that around 11 a.m. on Saturday, deputies were dispatched to the 6400 block of Alondra Boulevard in Paramount on reports of protesters blocking traffic.
Demonstrations continued for hours with protesters throwing projectiles and lighting a pallet on fire in the middle of the road, while sheriff’s deputies attempted crowd control as air units circled overhead. At least 44 people were arrested during the protests on Friday, according to Reuters, during which officers used pepper spray and tear gas on hundreds of protesters outside federal buildings.
ICE operations resulted in the detention of David Huerta, a labor leader who was arrested for allegedly obstructing federal agents by blocking their vehicle. Federal authorities emphasize they’re targeting individuals with criminal histories including gang members, drug traffickers, and those with records of assault, domestic violence, and robbery.
The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) declared an unlawful assembly near Alameda and Temple streets after reports that protesters threw concrete pieces at officers, authorizing less-lethal munitions and initiating a citywide tactical alert.
Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons alleged that over 1,000 protesters surrounded and attacked a federal building, claiming it took more than two hours for LAPD to respond to federal officers’ calls for assistance.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department emphasized they responded solely for crowd and traffic control, maintaining their non-participation policy in immigration enforcement activities.
What People Are Saying
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem wrote on X, formerly Twitter on Saturday: “A message to the LA rioters: you will not stop us or slow us down. [ICE] will continue to enforce the law. And if you lay a hand on a law enforcement officer, you will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons said on Saturday in part: “These violent rioters will be held accountable if they harm federal officers, and make no mistake, ICE will continue to enforce our nation’s immigration laws and arrest criminal illegal aliens. Sanctuary politicians would do well to remember that impeding our efforts only endangers their communities, law enforcement officers, and the detainees they claim to support.”
Immigrant Defenders Law Center (ImmDef) President and CEO Lindsay Toczylowski in a statement: “As attorneys, we are disgusted by DHS’ blatant betrayal of basic human dignity as we witness hundreds of people held in deplorable conditions without food, water, or beds for 12+ hours. People targeted by ICE are being denied access to attorneys and family visitation, but they’re not the only ones – our own members of Congress are being denied access to conduct their oversight duties. DHS is not above the law, but right now they are treating federal facilities like islands of lawlessness within our city. This is an urgent moment for our country to wake up to the terror ICE is inflicting on communities and take action.”
Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin in a statement: “The violent targeting of law enforcement in Los Angeles by lawless rioters is despicable and Mayor Bass and Governor Newsom must call for it to end. The men and women of ICE put their lives on the line to protect and defend the lives of American citizens. Make no mistake, Democrat politicians like Hakeem Jeffries, Mayor Wu of Boston, Tim Walz, and Mayor Bass of Los Angeles are contributing to the surge in assaults of our ICE officers through their repeated vilification and demonization of ICE. From comparisons to the modern-day Nazi gestapo to glorifying rioters, the violent rhetoric of these sanctuary politicians is beyond the pale. This violence against ICE must end.”
U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli for the Central District of California on X: “Let me be clear: I don’t care who you are—if you impede federal agents, you will be arrested and prosecuted. No one has the right to assault, obstruct, or interfere with federal authorities carrying out their duties.”
What Happens Next
Federal authorities have indicated that investigations into assaults on law enforcement during the Los Angeles protests are ongoing, with FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino stating authorities are “thoroughly reviewing the evidence” and working with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to prosecute perpetrators.
Advocacy groups continue demanding accountability from federal agencies amid calls for the release of detained protesters and reviews of ICE’s enforcement tactics.
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