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LAPD Assists Federal Immigration Raid, Raising Concerns Over Sanctuary Law Compliance

Los Angeles officials and activists question LAPD involvement in an ICE operation targeting human smuggling in South L.A., citing sanctuary city policies.

Ron Gochez, second from left, a teacher volunteering with Union del Barrio, an organization advocating for immigrant rights, listens to other volunteers as they gather in a parking lot before searching for ICE activity in Los Angeles Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Volunteers working with Union del Barrio, an organization advocating for immigrant rights, gather in a parking lot before heading out to search for ICE activity in Los Angeles Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Ron Gochez, a teacher volunteering with Union del Barrio, an organization advocating for immigrant rights, waves to other volunteers as they head out to search for ICE activity in a neighborhood in Los Angeles Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
A megaphone, a Mexican flag, and signs sit in the trunk of Ron Gochez's car after he finished searching for ICE activity in a neighborhood in Los Angeles on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Overview

  • Los Angeles Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez has introduced a motion to clarify city policies after LAPD officers were seen assisting ICE during a federal raid in South L.A.
  • The LAPD stated its role was limited to traffic control and emphasized its longstanding policy against participating in civil immigration enforcement.
  • The operation, described by ICE as part of a human smuggling investigation, led to at least two arrests, though specific details remain undisclosed.
  • Community patrol groups, such as Unión del Barrio, have been monitoring neighborhoods to inform residents of their rights and document ICE activity, citing heightened fear among immigrant communities.
  • Activists and councilmembers have criticized the lack of transparency in federal operations and called for stronger protections for vulnerable residents under the city's sanctuary laws.