Tensions escalated on Tuesday as Los Angeles City Council members challenged Police Chief Jim McDonnell regarding the LAPD’s handling of ongoing protests against President Donald Trump’s immigration policies.
The chief attended the council meeting to address the police department’s strategies for managing protests which have mostly taken place downtown since Friday, at times spiraling into disorder.
Local officials, including Mayor Karen Bass, criticized both the federal immigration raids that incited the protests and the incidents of vandalism and violence that erupted during some demonstrations.
In a controversial move, the Trump administration has deployed the National Guard and Marines to Los Angeles, a decision that Mayor Bass condemned as unnecessary. She indicated on Tuesday that she was contemplating a curfew for downtown L.A. due to the escalating nature of the protests, alongside Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s announcement that the military presence could extend for at least 60 days.
Later that day, Bass instituted a curfew from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. throughout most of downtown Los Angeles.
During the meeting, Chief McDonnell reported that the LAPD had made 114 arrests during protests on Monday night—53 for alleged failure to disperse, 15 for looting, and others for more serious charges, including one for assault with a deadly weapon on an officer and another for attempted murder. Over the weekend, the department had made 27 arrests on Saturday and 40 on Sunday.
In one of the most contentious moments of the meeting, Councilmember Imelda Padilla questioned the chief about the possibility of the LAPD alerting city officials in advance of immigration raids by federal agencies.
McDonnell firmly responded, stating, “You’re asking me to warn you about an enforcement action being taken by another agency before it happens? We can’t do that. That would be completely inappropriate and illegal.”
City Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson expressed his disagreement with the chief’s characterization of agencies like U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement as “law enforcement partners.”
He stated, “If we know somebody is coming here to do warrant-less abductions of the residents of this city, those are not our partners. I don’t care what badge they have on or whose orders they’re under. They’re not our partners.”
Following the meeting, Chief McDonnell emphasized the necessity for the LAPD to collaborate with federal agencies on various matters beyond immigration enforcement. He reiterated that since 1979, the LAPD has firmly upheld a policy against enforcing federal immigration laws, prohibiting officers from initiating contact solely to determine a person’s immigration status.
McDonnell defended that cooperation, highlighting its importance for handling significant events, stating, “All of the crimes we investigate potentially could be in partnership with federal agencies. It is a partnership, and without that partnership, we wouldn’t be able to go into the World Cup, the Olympics … that require that we work with federal, state and local partners.”
Further compounding the rising tensions, some council members criticized the LAPD’s use of rubber bullets during the protests. Councilmember Hugo Soto-Martínez brought attention to an incident where an Australian reporter was shot with a rubber bullet during a demonstration, asserting that such actions do not aid in de-escalation.
He argued, “We have to be mindful of the tactics being used by some LAPD members that is adding to the escalation. Just like a few protesters can take away from the messaging, the same thing can be said about LAPD. It overshadows the response.”
Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez echoed these concerns, stating, “Some LAPD officers acted out of line for the situation. I have lawyers posting videos of them getting shot. I’ve seen videos of non-lethals being fired at protesters more than 50 yards away.”
In response, Chief McDonnell asserted that the LAPD is the most accountable police department in the country regarding officer conduct. However, he refrained from commenting on specific instances of the use of force during the protests, citing the ongoing nature of the events.
In a move reflective of the increasing concerns about federal actions, City Councilmembers Tim McOsker, Ysabel Jurado, and Hernandez signed a proposal requesting that various city agencies provide information related to security measures to prevent unlawful entries by federal entities at City Hall and other municipal facilities.
The proposal emphasized that during this federal political theater, ensuring the safety of city facilities must be a priority for both city employees and the public.
image source from：https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-06-10/l-a-city-councilmembers-spar-with-police-chief-over-immigration-protests
