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ICE Operation in Downtown L.A. Detains U.S. Citizen, Prompts Demands for Accountability

Advocates and city leaders are criticizing the masked federal agents for acting without notifying local police or displaying identifiable credentials.

HERMOSA, CA – JUNE 24: One of two sea lion pups released from medical care rush to the water near the Hermosa Beach Pier in Hermosa, CA on Tuesday, June 24, 2025. The two were medically treated by the Marine Mammal Care Center Los Angeles for various health issues and released about a month later. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
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An LAPD officer walks near masked federal agents staged outside a gate of Dodger Stadium on June 19. The Los Angeles Dodgers said in a statement that federal agents requested permission to access Dodger Stadium parking lots but were denied entry. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)
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Overview

  • On June 24, ICE agents wearing masks and plainclothes detained 32-year-old Andrea Velez, a U.S. citizen, outside her workplace in downtown Los Angeles using unmarked vehicles.
  • LAPD officers who responded to a 911 call reporting a potential kidnapping said they did not assist in the arrest and remained only to de-escalate the scene and clear traffic.
  • Velez’s family still does not know where she is being held and DHS claims she was arrested for assaulting an ICE officer, while rights advocates allege she was targeted based on her appearance.
  • California lawmakers have introduced the “No Secret Police Act” to require all law enforcement to display agency names, badge numbers and uncovered faces during operations.
  • ICE Director Todd Lyons defends the use of masks for officer safety, but local officials from Los Angeles to Pasadena warn that uncoordinated, unmarked raids undermine public trust.