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Straits Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
Los Angeles ICE raids fuel controversy over masked agents
A protester holds a placard as they gather around the Los Angeles Federal Building following multiple detentions by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), in downtown Los Angeles, California, U.S., June 6, 2025. REUTERS/Daniel Cole/File Photo WASHINGTON - Images of federal immigration agents wearing masks and balaclavas as they conduct raids in Los Angeles and other U.S. cities have ignited a politically charged debate over whether they are protecting their identities or engaging in intimidation tactics. Violent clashes between protesters and law enforcement in Los Angeles during the weekend were triggered by masked U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers rounding up alleged immigration offenders. Democratic lawmakers and civil rights groups say masks are an attempt by ICE agents to escape accountability for their actions and are aimed at frightening immigrants as they carry out Republican President Donald Trump's directive to crack down on illegal immigration. Republicans and ICE officials assert the face coverings are necessary to protect agents and their families from being targeted by "doxxing," in which their home addresses and personal information are posted online. "People are out there taking photos of the names, their faces, and posting them online with death threats to their family and themselves," Todd Lyons, the acting ICE chief, said last week. There are no federal rules or laws forbidding mask-wearing by law enforcement personnel, although historically they have been used to protect the identities of agents during undercover operations, said Jerry Robinette, a former ICE special agent in charge. Armed masked ICE agents have also been seen arresting people in cities besides Los Angeles, often in plain clothes that sometimes lack clear identifying markings. One of the most notable arrests by ICE officials came in March when Turkish student Rumeysa Ozturk was confronted by several masked, plain-clothed agents on a street in a Boston suburb. Her arrest and terrified reaction were captured in a video that went viral. Ozturk, arrested after co-writing an opinion piece criticizing her school's response to Israel's war in Gaza, was released from ICE detention in May after a judge's order. Masked ICE agents have been filmed arresting workers at a restaurant in San Diego and a gardener at a house in Massachusetts. ICE officers were prominently seen wearing masks during arrests at courthouses across the U.S. last month. INCREASED MASK USE IN TRUMP'S SECOND TERM Scott Shuchart, a top ICE policy official under former Democratic President Joe Biden, said it appeared ICE officers had increased the use of face coverings and tactical gear since Trump took office. Shuchart said an officer concealing their identity goes against typical American law enforcement practices. "In general, law enforcement personnel need to have name patches, badge numbers, or other indicia that the public can see and use to file complaints and ensure accountability and oversight," Shuchart said. Three former U.S. officials dealing with immigration enforcement, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said they did not recall ICE officers routinely using face masks while Biden was in office from 2021-2025. Mask-wearing by law enforcement agents is more common in countries such as Mexico and Russia with high levels of organized crime or political unrest, or during counter-terrorism operations in countries including France. Boston's Democratic Mayor Michelle Wu was criticized by the Trump administration last week when she compared masked ICE agents to the "secret police" and a neo-Nazi group. Tricia McLaughlin, a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security, the parent agency of ICE, called Wu's rhetoric dangerous. "Make no mistake, this type of rhetoric is contributing to the surge in assaults of ICE officers through their repeated vilification and demonization of ICE," McLaughlin said. DOXXING Trump's border czar Tom Homan, speaking to Reuters in May, defended ICE officers using face coverings. "They've been doxxed repeatedly," Homan said. "I should know because I've been doxxed a thousand times myself." Homan cited an April protest outside his home in upstate New York after ICE arrested a mother and her three children on a dairy farm. The debate over ICE masks has also erupted on Capitol Hill. Last week the Democrats' House of Representatives leader, Hakeem Jeffries, denounced the practice, saying ICE agents were trying to conceal their identities from the American people. Jeffries and others believe unidentifiable law enforcement officials are difficult to hold accountable when misconduct is alleged. He vowed that the masked ICE agents would be identified "no matter what it takes, no matter how long it takes." His comments were decried by his Republican counterpart, House Speaker Mike Johnson. "They need to back off of ICE and respect our agents and stop protesting against them," Johnson told Fox News. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
Doja Cat, J Balvin and Tems headline Club World Cup Final halftime show
FILE PHOTO: Doja Cat performs during the iHeartRadio Wango Tango concert at Huntington City Beach, Huntington Beach, California, U.S., May 10, 2025. REUTERS/Daniel Cole/File Photo American rapper Doja Cat, Colombian singer J Balvin and Nigerian singer Tems will headline the Club World Cup final halftime show in the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, FIFA said on Monday. World soccer's ruling body will also work with international education and advocacy organisation Global Citizen and British rock band Coldplay for the show on July 13. "Final halftime show will be curated by Chris Martin of Coldplay to support the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, which aims to raise $100 million to improve access to quality education," FIFA said. The expanded 32-team Club World Cup runs from June 14-July 13 in the United States. Lionel Messi's Inter Miami face Egypt's Al-Ahly in the opening fixture on June 14 in Miami. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
GMA Network
3 days ago
- Politics
- GMA Network
PH Consulate in LA closely monitoring mass immigration raids, protests
Members of security forces operate during a standoff between police and protesters following multiple detentions by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), in the Los Angeles County city of Compton, California, June 7, 2025. REUTERS/ Daniel Cole NEW YORK — The Philippine Consulate General in Los Angeles is closely monitoring the large-scale immigration operations currently being conducted by US federal authorities across multiple locations in the California county, sparking tension and public protests. According to Consul General Adelio Angelito Cruz, the consulate is still verifying reports that a Filipino national was among the dozens arrested during the coordinated raids led by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Initial reports from US federal immigration authorities stated that a 55-year-old Filipino national from Ontario, California, was among those taken into custody. Allegedly with a pending notice to appear before an immigration court, the individual had supposedly previously been sentenced to four years in prison for burglary and is currently serving a 37-year prison sentence for sexual penetration with a foreign object by force and assault with intent to commit rape, stemming from an incident that occurred in the city of Pomona. The ICE operation, which began last Friday, has triggered protests throughout the Los Angeles area. Advocacy groups and immigration rights supporters have taken to the streets, denouncing what they claim are excessive and discriminatory enforcement practices. To assist federal agents, over 2,000 National Guard troops have already been deployed to various parts of California, particularly in Los Angeles, as the raids continue. The Philippine Consulate said that it remains vigilant in monitoring developments and will provide consular assistance as needed, especially if more Filipino nationals are affected by the ongoing operations. — BM, GMA Integrated News
DW
4 days ago
- Politics
- DW
Trump deploys National Guard troops to quell LA protests – DW – 06/08/2025
Skip next section Protests continue in LA after immigration raids 06/08/2025 June 8, 2025 Protests continue in LA after immigration raids The immigration raids have become a flashpoint between the federal government and LA city leaders Image: Daniel Cole/REUTERS Protesters denouncing immigration raids clashed with security forces in Los Angeles for the second consecutive day on Saturday. In tense scenes, federal Border Patrol agents in riot gear and gas masks faced off with demonstrators in the city of Paramount in southeast LA. Officers used tear gas in a bid to disperse the protesters. The protests come after Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents arrested at least 44 immigrants in raids on multiple locations on Friday. Trump has promised to deport undocumented migrants Image: Eric Thayer/AP/picture alliance According to the Department of Homeland Security, some 1,000 rioters "surrounded a federal law enforcement building and assaulted ICE law enforcement officers, slashed tires, defaced buildings, and taxpayer funded property" on Friday. The arrests come amid a clampdown on undocumented migrants that has been promoted by President Donald Trump, who campaigned on promises to deport thousands of immigrants living in the country illegally. LA Mayor Karen Bass has condemned the ICE raids, which she said "sow terror in our communities." Los Angeles, the country's second largest city which has long been run by Democratic officials, is home to millions of Hispanic-Americans and foreign-born nationals. "We will not stand for this," she said in a post on X. In a statement , ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons slammed the protests, calling the scenes "appalling" and accusing Bass of taking "the side of chaos and lawlessness over law enforcement." "These violent rioters will be held accountable if they harm federal officers, and make no mistake, ICE will continue to enforce our nation's immigration laws and arrest criminal illegal aliens," Lyons added. White House aide Stephen Miller said on X that Friday's protests were "an insurrection against the laws and sovereignty of the United States."
Japan Today
4 days ago
- Politics
- Japan Today
White House aide calls Los Angeles anti-ICE protests an 'insurrection'
FILE PHOTO: A protester holds a placard as they gather around the Los Angeles Federal Building following multiple detentions by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), in downtown Los Angeles, California, U.S., June 6, 2025. REUTERS/Daniel Cole/File Photo Senior White House aide Stephen Miller on Saturday condemned protests in downtown Los Angeles against federal immigration raids as an "insurrection" against the United States. Helmeted police in riot gear engaged in a tense confrontation with protesters on Friday night after Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents conducted enforcement operations in the city and arrested at least 44 people on immigration violations. "An insurrection against the laws and sovereignty of the United States," Miller, the White House deputy chief of staff, wrote on X. Miller, an immigration hardliner, was responding to video footage on X showing a large number of people protesting in downtown Los Angeles. The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) said it had not made any arrests related to the demonstration. FBI deputy director Dan Bongino posted on X that they were reviewing evidence from the protests. "We are working with the U.S. Attorney's Office to ensure the perpetrators are brought to justice," Bongino said. "The Right to assemble and protest does not include a license to attack law enforcement officers, or to impede and obstruct our lawful immigration operations." President Donald Trump has pledged to deport record numbers of people in the country illegally and lock down the U.S.-Mexico border, with the White House setting a goal for ICE to arrest at least 3,000 migrants per day. But the sweeping immigration crackdown has also included people legally residing in the country, including some with permanent residence, and has led to legal challenges. Television news footage earlier on Friday showed caravans of unmarked military-style vehicles and vans loaded with uniformed federal agents streaming through Los Angeles streets as part of the immigration enforcement operation. "Forty-four people (were arrested) on immigration charges," Yasmeen Pitts O'Keefe, a spokesperson for Homeland Security Investigations told Reuters on Saturday. The LAPD did not take part in the immigration enforcement. It was deployed to quell civil unrest after crowds protesting the deportation raids spray-painted anti-ICE slogans on the walls of a federal court building and gathered outside a nearby jail where some of the detainees were reportedly being held. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass in a statement condemned the immigration raids. "I am deeply angered by what has taken place," Bass said. "These tactics sow terror in our communities and disrupt basic principles of safety in our city. We will not stand for this." © Thomson Reuters 2025.
