Service Employees International Union California President David Huerta was injured and detained while documenting an immigration enforcement raid in downtown Los Angeles Friday, labor union officials said — prompting protests and calls for his release.
“Let me be clear: I don’t care who you are — if you impede federal agents, you will be arrested and prosecuted,” U.S. Atty.
“SEIU California President David Huerta was injured by federal agents and wrongfully detained,” said L.A. County Supervisor Janice Hahn.
Senate President Pro Tem Mike McGuire (D-Healdsburg) called for Huerta’s immediate release, saying he was “violently thrown to the ground” by ICE agents.
Hundreds of people rallied outside the Los Angeles Federal Building, condemning the crackdown and demanding Huerta’s release.
Protests and demands for David Huerta’s release have been sparked after labor union officials said that the president of the Service Employees International Union California was hurt and arrested on Friday while recording an immigration enforcement raid in downtown Los Angeles.
Huerta, 58, was taken to the Metropolitan Detention Center in downtown L after receiving medical attention at a hospital. A. . He was still being held there as of 5:30 p.m. m. according to a labor union representative. The center was spray-painted with slogans like “F— ICE,” “Burn Prisons,” and “Abolish ICE” by protesters. “.”.
In an announcement from the hospital, he stated, “What happened to me is not about me; this is about something much bigger.”. This is about how our community comes together to fight against the injustice that is taking place. Members of our community and family, as well as hardworking individuals, are being treated like criminals. Together, we must protest this insanity since it is unjust. “”.
According to a statement from the labor union, Huerta was arrested “while exercising his First Amendment right to observe and document law enforcement activity.”. “”.
But according to federal officials, Huerta purposefully blocked a federal agent’s car from entering a site where they were carrying out a warrant.
Throughout L, agents carried out four search warrants. A. . According to Yasmeen Pitts O’Keefe, a spokesperson for Homeland Security Investigations, a division of the U.S. government, Friday was about the suspected harboring of individuals in the nation. S. . Customs and Immigration Enforcement.
I don’t care who you are, but if you obstruct federal agents, you will be arrested and charged with a crime, U.S. S. . Attorney. In a statement on X, Bill Essayli wrote. “No one has the right to attack, impede, or meddle with federal officials in the course of their work. “”.
In a series of statements, elected officials from the city, county, state, and federal levels of government representing Los Angeles denounced Huerta’s arrest, criticized the raids, and denounced the Trump administration’s increase in deportations.
According to L., “SEIU California President David Huerta was wrongfully detained and injured by federal agents.”. 1. Janice Hahn, the county supervisor. I demand that he be released right away. We live in a democracy. People are free to voice their opposition to injustice, watch law enforcement in action, and protest peacefully. “.”.
Gov. Huerta was referred to by Gavin Newsom as a well-respected leader, patriot, and worker advocate.
He wrote on X that “no one should ever be hurt for witnessing government action.”.
According to Essayli, Huerta will be arraigned on Monday after being detained on suspicion of interfering with federal officers.
“To physically prevent law enforcement officials from carrying out a properly issued warrant is not a First Amendment right,” stated Harmeet Dhillon, the U.S. A. assistant to the civil rights attorney general.
Calling for Huerta’s immediate release, Senate President Pro Tem Mike McGuire (D-Healdsburg) claimed that ICE agents had “violently thrown him to the ground.”.
In a statement, McGuire said, “Every American should be alarmed; we are better than this.”.
44 people, including Huerta, were administratively arrested during Friday’s immigration action, according to O’Keefe.
In protest of the crackdown and in demand of Huerta’s release, hundreds of people gathered outside the Los Angeles Federal Building.
at 6:30 p.m. m. More than a hundred people had gathered outside a detention facility and immigration services building downtown, with some protesters sporting T-shirts that read, “ICE out of L.”. 1. “”.
Koreatown resident Mandy Bell, 65, said she was excited to participate after watching a video of the demonstrations earlier in the day.
“The enemy is not immigrants,” she declared. “I had no idea the raids would arrive here. I’ll be out here since it’s so wrong. I must ascertain the date of the upcoming protest. “”.
At approximately 7:00 p.m., the Los Angeles Police Department issued an order for the crowd to disperse after declaring an unlawful organization. m.
at 7:30 p.m. m. On North Alameda Street, a group of protesters was surrounded by eight police cars and roughly fifty riot-garbed officers. A second group of protesters further back yelled “shame on you” at the officers.
“People are living in fear right now, which is why we are out here,” one protester yelled at an officer. “You are aware of someone who is. “.”.
