Latest news with #CynthiaGonzalez
The Independent
3 hours ago
- Politics
- The Independent
California mayor calls for gangs to help protect communities from ICE raids
The vice mayor of a small city in California is under fire after a social media video emerged in which she appears to call on local street gangs to stand up to raids on undocumented migrants by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. In a clip posted to Instagram and then swiftly deleted by Cynthia Gonzalez, Vice Mayor of Cudahy – which lies just southeast of Los Angeles – the politician says: 'I want to know where all the cholos are at in Los Angeles – 18th Street, Florencia Where's the leadership at? 'Because you guys are all about territory and, 'This is 18th Street, this is Florencia.' You guys tag everything up, claiming hood and now that your hood's being invaded by the biggest gang there is, there ain't a peep out of you. 'It's everyone else who's not about the gang life that's out there protesting and speaking up. We're out there fighting our turf, protecting our turf, protecting our people and, like, where you at? She continues: 'Dude they're running amok all up on your streets, on your streets and in your city and, peep, when the big gang guns come in nothing but, like, quiet and we're out here, the regular ones that have never been jumped in out here calling things out and trying to organize. People trying to do the thing. 'So don't be trying to claim no block, no nothing if you're not showing up right now trying to, like, help out and organize. I don't want to hear a peep out of you once they're gone, trying to claim that this is my block. This was not your block. You weren't even here helping out. So whoever is the leadership over there just f***ing get your members in order.' Gonzalez does not name ICE in the video but it comes after weeks of controversy caused by federal raids on migrants in downtown Los Angeles, which saw local people hit the streets to protest and President Donald Trump call in the National Guard and deploy active-duty Marines to support local law enforcement against the wishes of California Gov. Gavin Newsom and L.A. Mayor Karen Bass. Two weeks ago, Gonzalez joined other L.A. County mayors at a press conference hosted by Bass at City Hall to address ICE's actions. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has reacted angrily to the video, reposting it on Tuesday evening with the statement: 'The comments made by the Vice Mayor of Cudahy, CA, Cynthia Gonzalez, are despicable. She calls for criminal gangs – including the vicious 18th Street gang – to commit violence against our brave ICE law enforcement. 'This kind of garbage has led to a more than 500 percent increase in assaults against our ICE law enforcement officers. Secretary [Kristi] Noem has been clear: If you assault a federal officer, you will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.' The Independent has contacted Gonzalez for comment but she has so far refused all media requests pertaining to the video. The City of Cudahy has issued a brief statement of its own in which it says: 'The comments made by the Vice Mayor reflect her personal views and do not represent the views or official position of the City of Cudahy. The City will not be providing further comment.' The FBI has said it cannot currently confirm or deny that an investigation into Gonzalez is underway but spokesperson Laura Eimiller noted: 'Generally speaking, of course, the FBI condemns any calls for violence or targeting of law enforcement with violence.' ABC News legal analyst Josh Ritter said he believed Gonzalez's comments had crossed a line: 'When you're dealing with a political leader calling upon criminal street gangs to take action, that takes on a far more sinister meaning and, perhaps, criminal meaning behind it. 'It is one thing to say local people of the neighborhood stand up for yourselves. It's another thing to actually call out the names of different criminal street gangs and ask them to protect their neighborhood." The video was also condemned by local residents like Danielle Canales, who told ABC's local affiliate: 'Her talking about gang violence and bringing them to do, you know, stuff like that, I think it's horrible. We're already going through ICE deporting people and people, you know, are feeling insensitive about it. Saying that is just kind of sad.'
Fox News
13 hours ago
- Fox News
LA County official allegedly urged gang members to defend territory from ICE, triggering FBI probe
FOX EXCLUSIVE: A Los Angeles County official is allegedly being investigated by the FBI after she posted a video to social media calling on gang members to defend their territory from United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Cynthia Gonzalez, the vice mayor of Cudahy in southeast Los Angeles County, allegedly shared a video on social media late last week in which she appeared to encourage 18th Street and Florencia 13 gang members to protect their turf from ICE agents. "Not for nothing, but I want to know where all the cholos are at in Los Angeles," Gonzalez said in the video. "18th Street, Florencia — Where's the leadership at? Because you guys are all about territory … You guys tag everything up — claiming hood. And now that your hood's being invaded by the biggest gang there is, there ain't a peep out of you." The Cudahy official then seemingly goes on to tell LA gang members they need to organize and help out with local resistance efforts against ICE. "Don't be trying to claim no block, no nothing," Gonzalez said. "If you're not showing up right now, trying to help out and organize, I don't want to hear a peep out of you once they're gone." Toward the end of the video, the LA County official even appears to urge the leaders of the LA street gangs to "get your f***ing members in order." Gonzalez reportedly deleted the video shortly after posting it. She was later visited by FBI agents at her home and is now allegedly under federal investigation, according to federal sources. Following the incident, Gonzalez also reportedly went back on social media to say that the FBI came to her home and that she needed a lawyer, sources say. FBI Los Angeles told Fox News they could not confirm or deny an investigation was underway, but said they condemn any call for gang violence. The 18th Street gang has around 30,000 to 50,000 members, with its main source of income being distribution of cocaine and marijuana. Members also commit assault, auto theft, carjacking and robbery, among other crimes. Florencia 13 is a street gang based out of southern Los Angeles. Its members have recently been accused of crimes including fentanyl trafficking, extortion and murder, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. Earlier this week, LA City Controller Kenneth Mejia announced the recent anti-ICE protests will cost taxpayers $32 million. The protests, touted by many demonstrators as "peaceful," resulted in nearly a dozen deputies suffering injuries. Gonzalez and the City of Cudahy did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
New York Post
13 hours ago
- Politics
- New York Post
FBI probing LA County politician who urged gangbangers to ‘protect our turf' from ICE: report
The FBI has opened an investigation into the vice mayor of a Los Angeles County city after she posted a video urging Latino street gangs to fight back against federal immigration agents, according to a report. Cynthia Gonzalez, vice mayor of Cudahy, found herself in federal investigators' crosshairs after she posted a video on social media calling for members of the 18th Street and Florencia 13 gangs to 'protect' their 'turf,' sources told FOX News reporter Bill Melugin. In her now-deleted video, Gonzalez taunted the predominantly Mexican and Mexican-American gangs, saying they couldn't lay claim to territory in her town unless they stood up to Immigration and Customs Enforcement — 'the biggest gang there is.' Advertisement 5 Vice Mayor Cynthia Gonzalez appeared to call for gang members to defend territory from ICE. Cynthia Gonzalez/X 5 A burning car during an anti-ICE protest in downtown Los Angeles. Toby Canham for NY Post 5 Protest in Los Angeles against the Trump administration's policies on illegal immigration. Barbara Davidson/NYPost Advertisement Gonzalez later posted that the FBI came to her house and that she needs a lawyer, according to Melugin, who claimed federal sources tipped him off to an 'active investigation.' A spokesperson for the FBI's LA field office neither confirmed nor denied the investigation to The Post, but emphasized that the Bureau condemns all gang violence. 'It's everyone else who's not about the gang life that's out there protesting and speaking up,' Gonzalez said in her now-deleted video. 'We're out there … protecting our turf and protecting our people. And, like, where you at?' 5 A protester holds up a sign that reads 'ICE: OUT OF OUR COMMUNITIES!' in front of a burning fire. Toby Canham for NY Post Advertisement 5 National Guard soldiers in riot gear face a protester at a demonstration. Barbara Davidson/NYPost The 18th Street Gang and Florencia 13 engage in drug trafficking, robbery and other violent crimes, according to the Justice Department. Florencia 13 is a roughly 3,000-member regional chapter of the Mexican Mafia prison gang. The 18th Street Gang has between 30,000 and 50,000 members across 28 states, and its California membership is around 80% undocumented immigrants from Mexico and Central America. Advertisement Gonzalez grew up in LA County and has lived in Cudahy for 12 years, according to her official bio. Her background is in education policy, and she has two master's degrees from UCLA. Her office did not immediately respond to the Post's request for comment.
