Los Angeles immigration protests ramp up after day of ICE operations across city
An immigration operation in Los Angeles involving agents with Immigration and Customs Enforcement led to dozens of arrests on Friday, which spurred large-scale and tense protests throughout the city on Saturday.
CBS News Los Angeles learned that ICE conducted raids in the Westlake District, downtown L.A. and South L.A. on Friday. According to an ICE spokesperson, as many as 118 arrests have been made in L.A. this week, which includes 44 in those operations on Friday.
"ICE officers and agents alongside partner law enforcement agencies, executed four federal search warrants at three locations in central Los Angeles," the spokesperson, Yasmeen Pitts O'Keefe said. "Approximately 44 people were administratively arrested and one arrest for obstruction. The investigation remains ongoing, updates will follow as appropriate."
O'Keefe confirmed that at least one of the warrants executed was related to the "harboring of people illegally in the country."
Protests eventually centered around the Federal Building in downtown L.A. after word spread among demonstrators that detainees were allegedly being held in that building.
Images from SKYCal footage taken Friday showed one of the apparent raids appearing to take place outside of a Home Depot store in the Westlake District.
More clashes on Saturday
The on Saturday that another protest erupted in the city of Paramount after it appeared that federal law enforcement officers were conducting another operation.
The department said in a statement that a large crowd was blocking traffic in the 6400 block of Paramount Boulevard at around 12:42 p.m.
The California Highway Patrol confirmed to CBS News Los Angeles that officers were preparing for protesters to attempt to march onto the 710 Freeway. As of 2 p.m., protesters hadn't yet obstructed any freeway lanes.
The L.A. County Fire Department said that one person was transported to a local hospital from the scene around 12:45 p.m. The extent of their injuries aren't yet clear.
Images captured by CBS News Los Angeles at the scene showed several dozen protesters gathering on the streets of Paramount. Some attempted to get in the way of a U.S. Marshals Services bus, while others threw rocks and other objects at law enforcement vehicles.
No additional details were immediately made available.
Reaction
Among the dozens of detainments, Service Employees International Union-United Service Workers West President David Huerta was arrested while protesting Friday, he confirmed.
"What happened to me is not about me; This is about something much bigger. This is about how we as a community stand together and resist the injustice that's happening. Hard-working people, and members of our family and our community, are being treated like criminals," Huerta said in a statement afterwards. "We all collectively have to object to this madness because this is not justice. This is injustice. And we all have to stand on the right side of justice."
U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli said on Friday that Huerta "deliberately obstructed" federal agents by blocking their vehicle while they executed a "lawful judicial warrant." Essayli said Huerta will be arraigned in federal court on Monday after being arrested on suspicion of interfering with federal officers.
On Saturday, Essayli confirmed that more federal law enforcement operations in L.A. County would "proceed as planned" through the weekend.
In a , Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Kristi Noem told protesters that they "will not stop" or "slow down" ICE.
"If you lay a hand on a law enforcement officer, you will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law," she said.
Leaders across Los Angeles criticized the federal government and President Trump's push to increase immigration enforcement throughout the Southland in the moments following the raids.
"As Mayor of a proud city of immigrants, who contribute to our city in so many ways, I am deeply angered by what has taken place," L.A. Mayor Karen Bass . "These tactics sow terror in our communities and disrupt basic principles of safety in our city. My Office is in close coordination with immigrant rights community organizations. We will not stand for this."
In response to that statement, White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller that Bass has "no say in this at all."
"Federal law is supreme and federal law will be enforced," he said. Miller has previously said the Trump administration was "actively looking at" suspending the writ of habeas corpus in immigration cases. Suspending the writ of habeas corpus in those cases would effectively remove the right for individuals accused of entering the country illegally to appear in court before confinement.
On Friday, Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell said the department would not cooperate with federal authorities in deportation efforts, a sentiment that L.A. County Sheriff Robert Luna later echoed on behalf of his department.
