Federal immigration agents conducted a series of aggressive, military-style raids across Los Angeles on Friday, arresting at least 44 individuals and triggering widespread protests that culminated in a violent standoff with riot police downtown. The operation, executed without prior notice or judicial warrants, drew swift condemnation from local officials and civil rights groups, who accused the Trump administration of deploying excessive force and terrorizing immigrant communities.
Unmarked federal vehicles, drones, and tactical units from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the FBI, and the DEA moved into multiple locations across the city, including the Westlake District, Fashion District, and South Los Angeles. The raids targeted individuals suspected of immigration violations and the use of fraudulent documents, according to ICE statements and legal observers.
Angelica Salas, executive director of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights, stated that her organization documented enforcement activity at seven sites. These included two Home Depot locations, a doughnut shop, day labor centers, and the clothing wholesaler Ambiance Apparel. "These tactics sow terror in our communities and disrupt basic principles of safety in our city," Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said in a statement on X.
Friday's sweep, part of the Trump administration's broader crackdown on undocumented immigrants, prompted hundreds to gather outside the Edward R. Roybal Federal Building, where some detainees were reportedly being processed. Protesters blocked entrances, spray-painted anti-ICE slogans, and attempted to obstruct ICE vehicles, prompting the LAPD to declare an unlawful assembly just after 7 p.m.
Helmeted officers in riot gear used tear gas, pepper spray, and "less-lethal munitions" to disperse the crowds. LAPD spokesperson Drake Madison confirmed that flash-bang devices were deployed, and a citywide tactical alert was issued, requiring all officers to remain on duty.
Among those arrested was David Huerta, president of SEIU California, who, according to the union, was injured “”while exercising his First Amendment right to observe and document law enforcement activity." Huerta was later treated at Los Angeles General Medical Center before being taken into custody. ICE did not immediately respond to requests for comment on his detention.
While ICE confirmed 44 administrative arrests, advocacy groups contend the true number is higher, with estimates ranging from 70 to 80 detainees. Caleb Soto of the National Day Laborer Organizing Network told Al Jazeera that only three lawyers had been granted access to detainees, complicating legal representation.
Rights groups also alleged that detainees, including children, were held in substandard conditions overnight, without beds, blankets, or adequate food. ICE denied those allegations, telling CBS News it "categorically refutes the assertions made by immigration activists," and emphasized that it "takes its mandate to care for people in custody seriously."
The raids drew sharp rebukes from California Governor Gavin Newsom, who labeled the operations "cruel" and "chaotic," and accused federal authorities of pursuing "an arbitrary arrest quota." All 15 members of the Los Angeles City Council also issued a joint statement condemning the action.
Inside the White House, however, officials defended the crackdown. Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller criticized Mayor Bass and other local leaders for undermining federal law, signaling continued support for escalated enforcement tactics amid the administration's broader immigration agenda.
