Migratory authorities intensify operations in Los Angeles after arrests and protests

Los Angeles (AP) – U.S. immigration authorities expanded their operations in the Los Angeles region on Saturday following protests at a federal detention center and a police response involving tear gas and stun grenades that led to the arrest of a union leader.
Border patrol agents, equipped with riot gear and gas masks, stood guard outside an industrial park in Paramount, where they deployed tear gas as onlookers and demonstrators gathered in the streets, some expressing disapproval towards the authorities while recording the events on their smartphones.
A woman speaking through a megaphone stated, “ICE in Paramount, we see your true colors. You are not welcome here.” A sign held by a protester read, “No person is illegal.”
Meanwhile, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers closed off a boulevard, with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) representatives declining to comment on the weekend’s operations.
The immigration arrests in Los Angeles come as President Donald Trump’s administration faces challenges in fulfilling its pledge to carry out widespread deportations nationwide.
On Friday, ICE agents detained over 40 individuals while conducting enforcement actions at various locations, including a clothing warehouse where tensions escalated as a crowd attempted to block the agents from leaving.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass accused the authorities of attempting to instill fear in the nation’s second-largest city.
In response, ICE’s acting director Todd Lyons criticized Mayor Bass for her handling of the protests in a statement released on Saturday.
Lyons stated, “Mayor Bass has taken the side of disorder and lawlessness over law enforcement. Make no mistake, ICE will continue to enforce our nation’s immigration laws and apprehend criminal aliens unlawfully present in the country.”
Protesters congregated outside a federal detention facility in Los Angeles on Friday night, demanding the release of those arrested, with some holding signs and chanting slogans. Graffiti was also found on the building’s exterior.
According to sources from National Security Investigations and the Department of Justice, federal agents executed search warrants at three locations, including a warehouse in the Los Angeles fashion district, based on suspicions of an employer using fraudulent documents for their workers.
Immigrant advocates reported that several individuals were apprehended by immigration authorities near Home Depot outlets and a donut shop on Friday.