Los Angeles is facing escalating unrest after a weekend of federal immigration raids, mass protests, and the high-profile arrest of SEIU California President David Huerta. The turmoil began Friday in Paramount, California, where federal agents conducted workplace raids, leading to at least 44 arrests for alleged immigration violations and one for obstructing justice Among those detained was Huerta, who now faces a federal charge of conspiring to impede an officer during an anti-ICE demonstration in downtown LA.
The protests quickly grew, drawing crowds of over 500 people in downtown Los Angeles and sparking confrontations between demonstrators and federal officers, including ICE and FBI agents equipped with rifles and less-than-lethal weapons Tensions peaked near the Metropolitan Detention Center and a Home Depot in Paramount, where agents deployed flash-bang grenades and tear gas to disperse crowds as some protesters blocked streets and set fires Reports indicate that at least 150 people have been arrested since the protests began, with city officials warning that further disruptions could continue throughout the week.
President Trump’s decision to deploy,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles, over the objections of Governor Gavin Newsom and Mayor Karen Bass, has further inflamed the situation City leaders have condemned the federal response, calling it a provocation that threatens to spark even greater civil unrest.
Huerta, who was released from custody on a $50,000 bond, described his arrest as part of a broader struggle for justice, urging the community to resist what he called “madness” and “injustice” SEIU and other advocacy groups have organized rallies across the country, demanding an end to ICE raids and the release of detained activists.
As National Guard troops patrol downtown and protests continue, Los Angeles remains at the center of a national debate over immigration enforcement and civil rights.
