Police Respond To Protests In Response To ICE Activity

What began as a series of federal immigration raids across Los Angeles on Friday morning has spiraled into one of the most volatile political flashpoints in recent memory. From coordinated street clashes and Molotov cocktails to a federal-state legal standoff and deep scrutiny of the public funding behind activist groups, the unrest in Los Angeles is no longer just about immigration—it’s about power, influence, and who controls the narrative on America’s southern border.

On Friday, ICE agents targeted multiple locations across LA, including a staging area at a Home Depot in Paramount and a business in downtown Los Angeles. But federal officers encountered violent resistance from protesters almost immediately—resistance that intensified as the day progressed. What could have remained a localized disturbance quickly metastasized into an organized rebellion, thanks in part to the involvement of two high-profile community activists.

A number of NGOs have been implicated in this. Foremost is Coalition for Humane Immigration Rights or CHIRLA, and the photos of signs show they were printed by PSLWEB / Party for Socialism and Liberation. pic.twitter.com/yS7jXkHGJ8

— DataRepublican (small r) (@DataRepublican) June 8, 2025

David Huerta, President of SEIU California, was arrested for interfering with federal agents. Angelica Salas, Executive Director of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA), held a press conference urging mass demonstrations. What followed was a flood of coordinated protesters—thousands wearing matching shirts and carrying professionally printed signs, unmistakable signs of logistical and financial backing.

By nightfall, the situation had escalated into a full-blown urban riot. Protesters lit American flags on fire, spit on them, clashed with police, and blocked major thoroughfares. The LAPD declared an unlawful assembly as “agitators splintered into and through out the Downtown Area,” particularly targeting the L.A. Live complex near Crypto.com Arena.

Attorney and investigator Laura Powell pulled back the curtain on one of the key organizations implicated in the unrest: CHIRLA. Her findings are staggering.

• CHIRLA’s total revenue (FY ending June 30, 2023): $45 million
• Government contracts accounted for $34 million of that revenue — 75.5% of CHIRLA’s funding
• Of that $34 million, 96% came from the State of California
• Contributing agencies included the California Department of Social Services, the California Arts Council, the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, and even the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)

Yes, the very department overseeing ICE operations also helped fund an organization directly involved in organizing opposition to those operations. The irony is as thick as the smoke from downtown’s burning debris.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, with deep ties to CHIRLA and DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, boasted last year about securing a $450,000 federal grant for CHIRLA. When Trump returned to office, DHS froze the remaining $100,000, prompting a CHIRLA lawsuit—later dropped when the contract was canceled outright.

What does this mean, @MayorOfLA @KarenBassLA?

What is @CHIRLA doing at that center to “advance justice and full inclusion for all immigrants”? pic.twitter.com/1B098c5TdN

— Jennifer Van Laar (@jenvanlaar) June 8, 2025

In May 2024, Bass visited CHIRLA’s newly opened “Immigrant Welcome and Empowerment Center”—a facility now at the center of controversy over how public dollars are being used. CHIRLA’s programs, per its website, include high school and college-level political training programs, census campaigns that count undocumented migrants, and legal defense funds aimed at resisting deportation.

As Powell put it:

“Your tax dollars fund an organization that organizes efforts to directly interfere with the federal government’s lawful exercise of authority. Then, through its lobbying arm, that organization helps get Democrats elected to office, who then repay the favor by ensuring increased funding.”

After ICE agents were attacked and federal operations impeded, President Trump signed a presidential memorandum deploying 2,000 National Guard troops to “address the lawlessness that has been allowed to fester.” The White House accused California officials of failing to act, and vowed to restore order.

Governor Gavin Newsom fired back, calling the deployment an “unlawful breach of state sovereignty”, claiming “we didn’t have a problem until Trump got involved.” He’s promised legal action against the federal government, further deepening the divide.

The post Police Respond To Protests In Response To ICE Activity appeared first on Patriot Newsfeed.