President Donald Trump’s hardline immigration policies made a forceful return to the streets of Los Angeles on Friday, as a series of coordinated federal raids triggered community outrage and tense confrontations between law enforcement and activists.
The operations, carried out at three key locations across the city, resulted in the detention of at least 44 undocumented individuals, as well as labor leader David Huerta, president of California’s powerful SEIU union. Huerta was reportedly injured during the operation before being taken into custody. The Department of Homeland Security confirmed that four arrest warrants were executed as part of the sweep.
Activists and immigrant rights advocates began mobilizing early in the day after reports circulated on social media about the presence of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in Cypress Park, just north of downtown Los Angeles. Cell phone footage showed officers stationed in the parking lot of a Home Depot, a known gathering spot for Latino day laborers.
Soon after, federal agents moved into the city’s Fashion District, targeting Ambiance Apparel, a clothing company that supplies products to several international retailers. According to District Attorney Bill Essayli, agents were searching for employees using fraudulent documents. Several workers were seen escorted out of a warehouse in handcuffs and loaded into white vans.
Local news helicopters and activist drones captured the escalation as protests erupted in real-time. In one tense moment, a demonstrator attempted to block the path of an armored federal vehicle. The driver did not stop, nearly running over the protester, who was later assisted by fellow activists on the scene.
Clashes intensified near a federal building in downtown Los Angeles used as an immigrant detention center. Demonstrators hurled rocks, eggs, and other objects at federal officers and vehicles. Riot police responded with tear gas and rubber bullets, and the protest was declared an unlawful assembly—allowing law enforcement to arrest anyone refusing to leave the area.
While city and county police officials claimed their officers did not participate in the ICE arrests, they admitted that the FBI had requested support to protect federal agents. “We are here to protect everyone, including FBI agents,” said LAPD Chief Jim McDonald.
Political leaders quickly condemned the raids. California Governor Gavin Newsom called the operation “chaotic, reckless, and cruel.” Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said she was “outraged and heartbroken,” adding, “ICE was literally chasing people down the street.”
The arrest of labor leader David Huerta sparked fierce backlash from human rights and labor organizations. SEIU, which represents over 750,000 workers in California, stated that Huerta was acting as a peaceful community observer when he was arrested. “We are proud of our president’s long-standing commitment to defending undocumented workers,” the union said in a statement.
With this latest large-scale raid, Los Angeles—long considered one of the nation’s top sanctuary cities—has suffered its most aggressive federal immigration crackdown in recent memory. Though no longer in office, the Trump administration’s enforcement machinery continues to cast a long and troubling shadow over immigrant communities.
