Latest news with #AngelicaSalas
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Report: DHS pulls taxpayer dollars from group linked to LA riots
The U.S Department of Homeland Security has reportedly terminated the flow of taxpayer dollars to one of the groups at the center of the fiery riots that took place in Los Angeles over the weekend. The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA) is behind the wild anti-ICE riots that led to President Trump sending in the National Guard over the weekend. The group was slated to receive $450,000 from the from the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services subagency between October of 2023 and September of 2025. The funds were earmarked for 'citizenship instruction and naturalization services.' In March, DHS sent a letter terminating the remainder of the groups contract which had not yet been paid out, to the tune of $100,936. DHS Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs shared the contract termination letter in a post on X Sunday afternoon. The group had already been awarded two separate grants of $250,000 under the Biden administration in 2021 and 2022. Angelica Salas, the group's executive director, who spoke at one of the ICE protests over the weekend, has seen her compensation nearly double in recent years. At the end of the 2022 fiscal year, Salas earned $125,500. In the 2023 fiscal year, which is the most recently available data, Salas earned $201,654. Yet, the federal funds are far from the only taxpayer dollars funneled to the immigrant rights group. Out of the $44 million noted as received by CHIRLA in the group's 2023 IRS Form 990 , over $33 million total was received from government grants. Over the weekend, President Donald Trump took control of 2,000 California National Guard troops and deployed them to Los Angeles to quell the civil unrest. Barragan also said that the president was 'causing tensions to rise.' 'It's only going to make things worse in a situation where people are already angry over immigration enforcement,' Barragan added. 'We are having an administration that's targeting peaceful protests, people that are there to protest. The president is sending in the National Guard because he doesn't like the scenes. He doesn't like the scenes of people peacefully protesting,' Barragan stated. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem didn't directly answer a question from CBS host Margaret Brennan on Sunday when asked whether or not she would support the calling up of active duty service members to deal with the rioters in Los Angeles. Noem told Brennan that the National Guard troops sent to LA were 'there at the direction of the president in order to keep peace and allow people to be able to protest, but also to keep law and order. That is incredibly important to the president,' Noem added.
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
The eye-popping amount of taxpayer dollars flowing to group behind LA ICE riots before Kristi Noem stepped in
The U.S Department of Homeland Security has reportedly terminated the flow of taxpayer dollars to one of the groups at the center of the fiery riots that took place in Los Angeles over the weekend. The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA) is behind the wild anti-ICE riots that led to President Trump sending in the National Guard over the weekend. The group was slated to receive $450,000 from the from the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services subagency between October of 2023 and September of 2025. The funds were earmarked for 'citizenship instruction and naturalization services.' In March, DHS sent a letter terminating the remainder of the groups contract which had not yet been paid out, to the tune of $100,936. DHS Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs shared the contract termination letter in a post on X Sunday afternoon. The group had already been awarded two separate grants of $250,000 under the Biden administration in 2021 and 2022. Angelica Salas, the group's executive director, who spoke at one of the ICE protests over the weekend, has seen her compensation nearly double in recent years. At the end of the 2022 fiscal year, Salas earned $125,500. In the 2023 fiscal year, which is the most recently available data, Salas earned $201,654. Yet, the federal funds are far from the only taxpayer dollars funneled to the immigrant rights group. A man holds signs as a Waymo vehicles burn, as protesters clash with law enforcement in the streets surrounding the federal building during a protest following federal immigration operations in Los Angeles, California, on June 8, 2025 Out of the $44 million noted as received by CHIRLA in the group's 2023 IRS Form 990, over $33 million total was received from government grants. Over the weekend, President Donald Trump took control of 2,000 California National Guard troops and deployed them to Los Angeles to quell the civil unrest. Under @POTUS Trump and @Sec_Noem we terminated this in March. — Tricia McLaughlin (@TriciaOhio) June 8, 2025 Representative Nanette Barragan (D-Calif.) who represents Paramount, the LA County community where the riots have taken place, said during a CNN appearance Sunday that the National Guard troop deployment was not needed, and that the sheriffs on the ground 'have the manpower that they need.' Barragan also said that the president was 'causing tensions to rise.' 'It's only going to make things worse in a situation where people are already angry over immigration enforcement,' Barragan added. 'We are having an administration that's targeting peaceful protests, people that are there to protest. The president is sending in the National Guard because he doesn't like the scenes. He doesn't like the scenes of people peacefully protesting,' Barragan stated. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem didn't directly answer a question from CBS host Margaret Brennan on Sunday when asked wether or not she would support the calling up of active duty service members to deal with the rioters in Los Angeles. Noem told Brennan that the National Guard troops sent to LA were 'there at the direction of the president in order to keep peace and allow people to be able to protest, but also to keep law and order. That is incredibly important to the president,' Noem added. Brennan then questioned the secretary on wether or not she would counsel the president to deploy active duty troops to Los Angeles. Noem replied that 'the advice and counsel of the attorney general, the Department of Defense are extremely important to the president of the United States, and we never discuss our personal conversations and advice to the president of the United States.' 'He makes the decisions. He is the president that sits in that seat, and we are all very proud to work for him,' Noem concluded.
CNN
2 days ago
- Politics
- CNN
Live updates: Trump deploys National Guard to LA in response to immigration clashes
Update: Date: 13 min ago Title: Members of the National Guard are on the ground in Los Angeles. Here's what to know this morning Content: Members of the Northern Command of the National Guard are on the ground in Los Angeles after President Donald Trump deployed them in response to immigration enforcement action protests that broke out Friday. Here's what to know this morning: CNN's Lauren Mascarenhas, Kaitlin Collins, Michelle Watson, Gregory Clary, Antoinette Radford and Kit Maher contributed reporting. Update: Date: 14 min ago Title: Fair Immigration Reform Movement condemns "authoritarian and violent campaign" against immigrants Content: The Fair Immigration Reform Movement condemned what it characterized as 'the Trump administration's increasingly authoritarian and violent campaign against immigrant communities and the people of the United States' in a news release this morning. 'We are workers, neighbors, students, parents — people who contribute to and sustain California's economy and future,' said Angelica Salas, executive director of the coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights. 'The real crisis is the deliberate escalation by federal immigration authorities — and the effort to shift blame onto communities who are responding to fear, grief, and injustice.' The Fair Immigration Reform Movement's co-chair and president and CEO of the New York Immigration Coalition Murad Awawdeh also condemned the law enforcement response to the California protests. 'Donald Trump is waging an all-out war against our communities and our democracy,' said Awawdeh in the release. 'The coordinated assault on immigrants — raiding homes, stalking people in courthouses, and targeting children at school — now expands into a terrifying threat to use military force against lawful protestors. This action does nothing but incite fear and chaos, while exerting control through the threat of violence.' Update: Date: 1 hr 6 min ago Title: Some members of National Guard on the ground in LA, Northern Command says Content: The US Northern Command said members of the California 79th Infantry Brigade Combat Team are now on the ground in Los Angeles. President Donald Trump signed a presidential memorandum last night deploying 2,000 National Guardsmen to Los Angeles to disperse protests that began in response to immigration raids on Friday. 'Additional information will be provided as units are identified and deployed,' NORTHCOM said in a social media post. Separately, the California governor's office said in a statement that 300 National Guardsmen were 'deployed between 0200-0400 Sunday at three sites around Los Angeles.' Update: Date: 1 hr 1 min ago Title: National Guard troops were last federalized during the 1992 Los Angeles riots after Rodney King verdict Content: President Trump's federalization of National Guard troops to quell immigration protests in Los Angeles on Saturday marks the first time a US chief executive has used such power since the 1992 LA riots in reaction to the acquittal of four White police officers in the beating of Black motorist Rodney King. Dozens of people were killed, thousands injured and thousands arrested during several days of rioting in Los Angeles at the time. Damage to property was estimated at more than $1 billion, in one of the worst civil disturbances in US history. Other federal mobilizations of the National Guard since World War II were made to support enforcement of the expansion of civil rights and ensure public order during the desegregation of Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas, in 1957; the University of Mississippi in 1962; the University of Alabama and Alabama public schools in 1963, according to the National Guard's website. Guard units also came under federal control to restore public order during the Detroit riots in 1967, in response to the assassination of civil rights icon Dr. Martin Luther King Jr in 1968 and the New York postal strike in 1970, according to the Guard's website. Presidential mobilization of state militias was first authorized by Congress in 1792, in that case to help repel foreign invasions and suppress domestic insurrections, the website says. The biggest ever federalization of state militias was made by President Abraham Lincoln, when he called up 75,000 troops to fight the Confederacy and later support Reconstruction. After that, no president federalized state militias until the Detroit riots, according to the website. Key difference: Unlike Trump's federalization of National Guard troops this weekend, the 1992 mobilization was requested by then-California Gov. Pete Wilson. Now, Gov. Gavin Newsom has called the deployment of National Guard troops to the LA immigration protests 'purposefully inflammatory.' George Floyd protests: The National Guard was also deployed in Los Angeles in 2020, but at the request of Newsom, not the president. According to The Associated Press, 5,500 National Guard soldiers were mobilized in Los Angeles County in response to protests over the murder of George Floyd. Update: Date: 1 hr 14 min ago Title: Trump and Newsom spoke on the phone Friday, governor's office says Content: California Gov. Gavin Newsom called President Donald Trump on Friday and they spoke for approximately 40 minutes, according to the governor's office. The call took place after the widescale immigration enforcement began in Los Angeles, a source familiar with the conversation told CNN. Trump has signed a presidential memorandum deploying 2,000 National Guardsmen to Los Angeles to disperse protests that began in response to the immigration raids. California Gov. Gavin Newsom in a post on X Saturday night called the deployment 'purposefully inflammatory' and warned it would only escalate tensions. About 300 members of the California National Guard are currently at three locations in the Los Angeles area, according to a statement from the governor's office. Update: Date: 1 hr 12 min ago Title: DHS Secretary says National Guard is on the ground in CA to ensure 'peaceful protests' Content: The US Secretary of Homeland Security said National Guard soldiers are in Los Angeles to maintain peace amid ongoing tensions between immigration authorities and demonstrators this weekend. 'These 2,000 National Guard soldiers that are being engaged today are ones that are specifically trained for this type of crowd situation,' DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said on CBS's 'Face the Nation' Sunday. Noem said the soldiers are there to 'provide security for operations and to make sure that we have peaceful protests,' but did not provide specifics about their activities on the ground. Noem criticized Gov. Gavin Newsom, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, and the LAPD for their response to this weekend's protests against immigration operations in the area. 'We're not going to let a repeat of 2020 happen,' she said, referencing the Black Lives Matter protests that erupted in Minneapolis during the summer of 2020. When asked about claims that migrants are being held in makeshift facilities with limited access to food and water, Noem did not directly address the question. 'What I would say is getting individuals in and out of those facilities was extremely challenging when the violence broke out, and when things were being thrown at vehicles and people were rocking vehicles and shaking them, trying to break into them,' she said. Update: Date: 1 hr 20 min ago Title: "It will not end well for you if you choose violence," Deputy FBI Director says Content: Multiple people have been arrested in Los Angeles and New York as authorities crack down on people obstructing immigration enforcement activities, Deputy Director of the FBI Dan Bongino said today. Posting to social media, Bongino said those arrested face federal, local and state charges. 'It will not end well for you if you choose violence. Choose wisely.' His comments come after President Donald Trump signed a presidential memorandum last night deploying 2,000 National Guardsmen to Los Angeles to disperse protests that began in response to immigration raids. Update: Date: 1 hr 35 min ago Title: About 300 California National Guard members are deployed at 3 locations around LA, governor's office says Content: About 300 members of the California National Guard are currently in Los Angeles following two consecutive days of protests over immigration enforcement action, Izzy Gardon, Director of Communications for Gov. Gavin Newsom told CNN in an email Sunday. 'There are approximately 300 California National Guard in Los Angeles currently. They were deployed between 0200-0400 Sunday at three sites around Los Angeles,' Gardon said. Update: Date: 1 hr 18 min ago Title: Meanwhile, from the morning political shows: More on the Musk feud and the Trump agenda bill Content: As President Donald Trump and his administration make the push to advance his domestic agenda, tensions with Elon Musk continue to make headlines. Here's the latest from the Sunday morning political shows: Update: Date: 1 hr 50 min ago Title: Americans in favor of the goals of Trump's deportation program but against its approach, a new poll finds Content: Americans largely approve of President Donald Trump's program to find and deport immigrants who are in the US illegally but they are not sold on the way he's carrying it out, according to a new poll from CBS News and YouGov. The poll was completed just before protests over deportations in Los Angeles. Some other key findings include: Overall, Trump's approval rating has held steady in CBS's trends since the 100-day mark of his presidency – 45% approve and 55% disapprove. CBS/YouGov has typically found approval ratings for the president that are a few points higher than other high-quality polls. On average across polls that meet CNN's standards for reporting since early May, 43% approve of Trump's handling of the presidency. The CBS News/YouGov poll was conducted online from June 4 through 6 among a random national sample of 2,428 adults. Results for the full sample have a margin of error of plus or minus 2.4 percentage points. Update: Date: 2 hr 3 min ago Title: In pictures: Saturday's clashes between demonstrators and law enforcement in CA Content: Protests in response to immigration raids escalated Saturday in and around Los Angeles. In Paramount, California, tear gas and flash bangs were used to disperse demonstrations. Update: Date: 2 hr 1 min ago Title: California congresswoman says she's been told to expect "30 days of ICE enforcement" Content: Democratic Rep. Nanette Barragán said she has been told to prepare for a large presence of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers in California. 'We've been told to get ready for 30 days of enforcement. Thirty days of ICE enforcement,' she told CNN's Dana Bash today, adding that the presence of National Guardmen is 'going to escalate the situation.' President Donald Trump signed a presidential memorandum last night deploying 2,000 National Guardsmen to Los Angeles to disperse protests that began in response to immigration raids, including in the city of Paramount, which is in Barragán's constituency. 'We haven't asked for the help. We don't need the help. This is him escalating it, causing tensions to rise. It's only going to make things worse in a situation where people are already angry over immigration enforcement,' she said. When asked about the LA County Sheriff's office describing protesters as 'exhibiting violent behaviour towards federal agents and deputy sheriffs' the congresswoman had a clear message: 'Don't get violent.' But, she said the violence was not coming from anti-immigration protesters. 'Last night, when I talked to the sheriff, he had told me the situation in Paramount was under control, the people that were peacefully protest have left. The situation was now across the street into the Compton area and this was the unruly folks — that Saturday night crowd — the people that were there to actually protest immigration were gone. 'We agree that if you're being violent, you should be arrested, you should be prosecuted,' she said. Update: Date: 3 hr 29 min ago Title: LAPD says protests in the city wrapped up 'without incident' Content: The Los Angeles Police Department said protests in the city last night were peaceful. 'While today's events concluded without incident, the Los Angeles Police Department remains fully prepared to respond swiftly and appropriately to any potential acts of civil unrest,' the LAPD said in a statement. President Donald Trump has signed off on the deployment of 2,000 National Guardsman to Los Angeles, though Mayor Karen Bass said there was no evidence of the National Guard on the ground yet. 'We will maintain a heightened readiness posture and remain ready to ensure the continued safety of our communities,' the LAPD said. Reminder: The LAPD does not have jurisdiction over Paramount, a city in Los Angeles County, where protesters exhibited 'violent behavior towards federal agents and deputy sheriffs,' the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department said in an advisory late Saturday. Update: Date: 4 hr 16 min ago Title: A recap on what's going on in Los Angeles Content: Protests have gripped Los Angeles this weekend, sparked in response to immigration raids carried out on Friday. Here's what to know about the demonstrations: Why did they start? Protests in and around Los Angeles erupted on Friday after at least 44 people were arrested by federal immigration agents earlier in the day. The arrests come amid Trump's crackdown on immigration, which has involved waves of raids and deportations across the country. Late into Saturday, some protesters gathered near an immigration holding center in Alameda. What happened on Saturday? Law enforcement used tear gas and flash bangs in an effort to disperse the crowd in Paramount, California, and some protesters were detained. But the situation escalated when President Donald Trump said he was deploying 2,000 members of the National Guard to control protesters in the evening. Trump claimed local officials had failed to deal with the unrest, and the federal government would 'solve the problem, RIOTS & LOOTERS, the way it should be solved!!!' How are people responding to the National Guard? California Gov. Gavin Newsom called the deployment of troops 'purposefully inflammatory' and said it would only escalate tensions. The mayor of Los Angeles, Karen Bass, said there was no evidence of the National Guard on the ground, despite Trump praising their efforts. And the League of United Latin American Citizens also condemned Trump's order, saying that the move 'marks a deeply troubling escalation in the administration's approach to immigration and civilian reaction to the use of military-style tactics.' The latest from the ground: Small groups of protesters continued to gather and disrupt traffic near the Metropolitan Detention Center in Alameda late Saturday, despite repeated warnings from police to disperse. At midnight, the LAPD announced several people who re-entered areas of 'unlawful assembly' have been detained and some will be 'arrested and booked.' It is unclear how many people were detained. The Los Angeles Sheriff's Department told CNN some remaining protesters threw fireworks at law enforcement, while officers formed a skirmish line to push people away from the area. Update: Date: 4 hr 22 min ago Title: Trump says protesters in Los Angeles won't be allowed to wear masks Content: President Donald Trump said early today he would ban the use of masks by protesters, after two days of unrest in Los Angeles. 'MASKS WILL NOT BE ALLOWED to be worn at protests. What do these people have to hide, and why???' the president posted on Truth Social. ICE officers are allowed to wear masks, however, with the agency's acting director Todd Lyons saying recently the agents cover up to protect their families. Update: Date: 4 hr 5 min ago Title: Trump will meet with senior members of his administration at Camp David today Content: President Donald Trump is expected to meet with senior members of his administration today at Camp David, the presidential retreat in Maryland, according to two sources. 'The White House has organized what will become a regular off campus retreat of principals attended by the President and Vice President,' a White House official said. They'll meet on a number of issues and topics, the official said. Attendees are expected to include Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, according to another person familiar with the meeting. Trump is expected to stay at Camp David tonight and return to the White House tomorrow, according to the White House official.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
California leaders condemn Ice raids in LA: ‘We will not stand for this'
The Department of Homeland Security conducted raids on multiple locations across Los Angeles on Friday, clashing with the crowds of people who gathered to protest and prompting widespread criticism from California leaders. Masked agents were recorded pulling several people out of two LA-area Home Depot stores and the clothing manufacturer Ambient Apparel's headquarters in LA's Fashion District. Immigration advocates said the raids also included four other locations, including a doughnut shop. There has not yet been confirmation of how many people were taken into custody during the coordinated sweeps. At an afternoon press conference, Angelica Salas, executive director for the Coalition of Humane Immigrant Rights, said at least 45 people were arrested without warrants. 'Our community is under attack and is being terrorized. These are workers, these are fathers, these are mothers, and this has to stop. Immigration enforcement that is terrorizing our families throughout this country and picking up our people that we love must stop now,' Salas told the crowd. The protest only grew as the afternoon wore on. By 6pm local time, hundreds of people assembled around the federal building in downtown Los Angeles, where those taken into custody during the raids are being held. Earlier in the day, armed agents clad in heavy protective and tactical gear, including some who wore gas masks, could be seen on video and through aerial footage pushing individuals and trying to corral large groups that congregated to challenge the raids. Smoke grenades were reportedly thrown near the crowds and pepper spray was used as the federal officers attempted to clear the area. As the demonstrations continued into the evening, videos showed officers firing less-lethal weapons toward protestors. Some people in the crowd attempted to block large armored trucks carrying FBI agents as they departed. One person reportedly threw eggs at the vehicles. The Los Angeles fire department was called to the scene to administer aid to protesters injured by agents and officers, which included the president of the California branch of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), David Huerta. The organization said in statement he was detained and called for his immediate release. Huerta, who was injured and detained, released a statement to the Los Angeles Times from the hospital, saying: '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. We all collectively have to object to this madness because this is not justice,' he added. 'We call for an end to the cruel, destructive, and indiscriminate Ice raids that are tearing apart our communities, disrupting our economy, and hurting all working people,' Tia Orr, executive director of SEIU California said. 'Immigrant workers are essential to our society: feeding our nation, caring for our elders, cleaning our workplaces, and building our homes.' The Los Angeles police department also assisted the federal officers in dispersing demonstrators, despite the department's insistence that it is not involved in 'civil immigration enforcement', and would only have a presence to ensure public safety. Advocates used megaphones from the streets outside where the raids were occurring to remind workers inside of their rights, the Los Angeles Times reported. Some called out individual names and demanded they be given access to lawyers. 'The community is here with you,' one person shouted. 'Your family is here with you.' Los Angeles leaders were quick to condemn the actions, which were part of a string of high-profile raids undertaken by Immigration and Customs Enforcement under orders from Donald Trump. In a statement on Friday, California governor Gavin Newsom said: 'Continued chaotic federal sweeps, across California, to meet an arbitrary arrest quota are as reckless as they are cruel. Donald Trump's chaos is eroding trust, tearing families apart, and undermining the workers and industries that power America's economy.' Newsom also condemned Huerta's arrest, saying: 'David Huerta is a respected leader, a patriot, and an advocate for working people. No one should ever be harmed for witnessing government action.' 'I am closely monitoring the Ice raids that are currently happening across Los Angeles, including at a Korean-American owned store in my district,' Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove said in a post on X, along with instructions on how affected constituents could reach her office for help. 'LA has long been a safe haven for immigrants,' she added. 'Trump claims he's targeting criminals, but he's really just tearing families apart and destabilizing entire communities.' Mayor Karen Bass said in a statement that she was 'deeply angered by what has taken place', and that her office was coordinating with immigrant rights community organizations. 'These tactics sow terror in our communities and disrupt basic principles of safety in our city,' she said. 'We will not stand for this.' In response, Trump's deputy chief of staff, Stephen Miller, who has functioned as one of the chief architects of the administration's draconian immigration crackdowns, wrote: 'You have no say in this at all. Federal law is supreme and federal law will be enforced.' Los Angeles councilmember Eunisses Hernandez said in a statement: 'These actions are escalating: agents arrive without warning and leave quickly, aware that our communities mobilize fast. I urge Angelenos to stay alert.' Meanwhile, the California senator Alex Padilla said: 'The Ice raids across Los Angeles today are a continuation of a disturbing pattern of extreme and cruel immigration enforcement operations across the country. These indiscriminate raids prove once again that the Trump administration cares about nothing but instilling harm and fear in our communities to drive immigrants into the shadows. It will not work.' He added: 'This fearmongering is not going to change the fact that immigrants are valued members of our communities who contribute to our society and economy, and my office will demand accountability for today's actions.' Similarly, the Los Angeles county supervisor Lindsey Horvath called the Ice raids 'acts of cruelty and bigotry, targeting our immigrant neighbors and tearing families apart'. Horvath added: 'These actions are designed to instill fear in communities of color – but we will not be intimidated, and we will not be silent. I'm in direct communication with county, state, & community leaders to ensure that all available protections from LA County are activated immediately. We must remain vigilant. We must protect one another. And above all, we will stand together.' Maya Yang contributed to this report
9 News
3 days ago
- Politics
- 9 News
US federal authorities arrest dozens for immigration violations across Los Angeles
Your web browser is no longer supported. To improve your experience update it here After federal immigration authorities arrested more than 40 people on Friday across Los Angeles, protesters gathered outside a federal detention center demanding their release before police in riot gear tossed tear gas canisters to disperse the crowd. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers executed search warrants at multiple locations, including outside a clothing warehouse where a tense scene unfolded as a crowd tried to block agents from driving away. Sirens blared as protesters surrounded black SUVs and tactical vehicles. Protesters gather at the US Department of Justice Federal Bureau of Prisons after federal immigration authorities conducted an operation in Los Angeles. (AP) Officers threw flash bangs into the street to disperse people as they shouted and filmed the scene with their cell phones. One demonstrator tried to physically stop a vehicle from leaving. Forty-four people were arrested on immigration violations across multiple locations, said Yasmeen Pitts O'Keefe, a spokesperson for Homeland Security Investigations. The president of SEIU California, a major labor union, was arrested and charged for impeding a federal agent while protesting, the US Attorney's office said. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said the activity was meant to "sow terror" in the nation's second-largest city. Federal immigration authorities have been ramping up arrests across the country to fulfill President Donald Trump's promise of mass deportations. Todd Lyons, the head of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, defended his tactics earlier this week against criticism that authorities are being too heavy-handed. He has said ICE is averaging about 1600 arrests per day and that the agency has arrested "dangerous criminals." Protests recently broke out after an immigration action at a restaurant in San Diego and in Minneapolis, when federal officials in tactical gear showed up in a Latino neighborhood for an operation they said was about a criminal case, not immigration. In Los Angeles, federal agents executed search warrants at three locations, O'Keefe said. But Angelica Salas, executive director for the Coalition of Humane Immigrant Rights, or CHIRLA, said advocates were aware of activity at seven locations, including several Home Depot parking lots and a doughnut shop. At the warehouse in the fashion district, agents had a search warrant after they and a judge found there was probable cause the employer was using fictitious documents for some of its workers, US Attorney's Office spokesperson Ciaran McEvoy confirmed. Dozens of protesters gathered Friday evening outside a federal detention centre in Los Angeles where lawyers said those arrested had been taken, chanting "set them free, let them stay!" Angelica Salas, of The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights, speaks outside of the Federal Building. (AP) Other protesters held signs that said "ICE out of LA!" while others led chants and shouted from megaphones. Some scrawled graffiti on the building facade. Officers holding protective shields stood shoulder to shoulder to block an entrance. Some tossed tear gas canisters to disperse the crowd. Officers wearing helmets and holding batons then forced the protesters away from the building by forming a line and walking slowly down the street. "Our community is under attack and is being terrorised. These are workers, these are fathers, these are mothers, and this has to stop. Immigration enforcement that is terrorising our families throughout this country and picking up our people that we love must stop now," Salas, of CHIRLA, said at an earlier press conference while surrounded by a crowd holding signs protesting Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Yliana Johansen-Mendez, chief program officer for the Immigrant Defenders Law Centre, said her organisation was aware of one man who was already deported back to Mexico after being picked up at a Home Depot on Friday morning. The man's family contacted her organisation and one of their attorneys was waiting for hours to speak to him inside the detention center, she said. Authorities later said he had already been removed, and the man later contacted his family to say he was back in Mexico. Videos from bystanders and television news crews captured people being walked across a Home Depot parking lot by federal agents as well as clashes that broke out at other detention sites. A man stands outside a business where federal immigration authorities conducted an operation. (AP) Outside the warehouse, KTLA showed aerial footage of agents leading detainees out of a building and toward two large white vans waiting in a parking lot. The hands of the detained people were tied behind their backs. The agents patted them down before loading them into the vans. The agents wore vests with the agency acronyms FBI, ICE and HSI. Armed agents used yellow police tape to keep crowds on the street and sidewalk away from the operations. Immigrant-rights advocates used megaphones to speak to the workers, reminding them of their constitutional rights and instructing them not to sign anything or say anything to federal agents, the Los Angeles Times reported. Katia Garcia, 18, left school when she learned her father, 37-year-old Marco Garcia, may have been targeted. Katia Garcia, a US citizen, said her father is undocumented and has been in the US for 20 years. "We never thought this would happen to us," she told the Los Angeles Times . World USA Los Angeles police Mexico CONTACT US Auto news:Is this the next Subaru WRX? Mysterious performance car teased.
