Tensions regarding President Donald Trump’s immigration policies escalated significantly this week in California, culminating in a chaotic scene during a Homeland Security news conference.
Democratic Senator Alex Padilla of California attempted to voice his concerns during the event but was forcibly removed by Secret Service agents, generating widespread outrage across the political spectrum.
As part of heightened enforcement measures, immigration agents have intensified their operations throughout the region, leading to numerous arrests of individuals suspected of residing in the United States without documentation.
The operations have sparked significant backlash, prompting protests across California.
State officials have even sought legal recourse against the Trump administration’s decision to deploy the National Guard to Los Angeles without prior consent from local or state authorities.
While federal officials did not disclose the total number of arrests, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem stated that the operation is not confined to individuals with criminal records.
According to reports from the White House, a staggering two-thirds of those detained during recent days have no prior criminal history.
The tensions reached a peak during Noem’s news conference held at the Wilshire Federal Building, where Senator Padilla attempted to interject with a question.
Upon his attempt to speak, he was quickly escorted out of the room, asserting, “I’m Senator Alex Padilla. I have questions for the secretary…”
Afterward, Padilla took to the platform to encourage peaceful protests against the government’s actions.
He noted that the situation has generated significant anxiety among community members.
Padilla remarked, “There is a lot of concern, there is a lot of tension, there is a lot of anxiety. I encourage everybody to please peacefully protest, just like I was calmly and peacefully listening to that press conference and preparing, attempting to ask a question.”
The senator expressed the incident as indicative of the broader immigration enforcement sweep, suggesting that the same tactics used against him could mirror the experiences of many in the community.
“I can only imagine what they’re doing to cooks, to day laborers out in the Los Angeles community,” he stated.
Local businesses have been significantly affected by these so-called random raids, which have targeted various locations including Home Depots, churches, farms, and retail centers.
As a result, many immigrants, both documented and undocumented, are now living in fear, leading to further harm to the local economy.
Jose, a 26-year-old whose family owns a car detailing business in Downey, described distressing encounters when federal agents targeted his workplace.
On Wednesday morning, two agents arrived just after 9 a.m. and swiftly attempted to detain an employee, prompting a chase that ended with the worker fleeing.
Jose shared that while one individual was undocumented, he felt compelled to question the agents about the legality of their actions but was warned he would be arrested for interfering.
With a significantly reduced workforce, the car wash closed operations the following day, leaving Jose and his mother at a loss about its future.
Having been born in the U.S. and holding citizenship, Jose noted, “I feel unsafe, even if I have papers. I just saw them targeting brown people.”
Downey Councilman Mario Trujillo highlighted the pervasive culture of fear these raids are instilling in the community, noting that even documented individuals are becoming wary of leaving their homes due to concerns of being targeted solely on the basis of their appearance.
“We’re starting to feel that we’re the only race that’s being targeted because it’s easy pickings because of the color of our skin,” Trujillo remarked.
The downtown area of Downey, which was already struggling economically, has now become nearly deserted.
While Trujillo acknowledges that immigration agents have responsibilities, he questions the necessity of apprehending people merely trying to support their families and live their daily lives.
As he put it, “We’re supposed to be made to feel safe by this agency because they’re removing bad people… That’s what they’re supposed to be doing.”
On Wednesday, masked federal agents detained at least 12 individuals from various businesses throughout Downey.
Community members, however, intervened in one instance, effectively preventing agents from taking away a man who lacked proper documentation.
Melyssa Rivas, who recorded this encounter, described the scene as reminiscent of a “full-on kidnapping scene out of a movie, it was scary.”
One Downey resident, Alex Cruz, who has worked at a local car wash, conveyed how the raids have disturbed the atmosphere of his workplace.
He revealed that many employees—predominantly undocumented—had stopped showing up due to the raids and the consternation they generate.
Cruz lamented, “Everybody is intimidated. Everybody is afraid to get out of their house. Everybody is afraid to go to work.”
Expressing anger at how federal portrayals categorize all undocumented individuals as criminals, he called for more humane treatment of immigrants.
He added, “If it wasn’t for immigrants washing their dishes, nobody would do it. This is not right. Everyone deserves the opportunity to work and support their families.”
Despite the uncertainty permeating their daily lives, some individuals continue to work, albeit with heightened concern.
A man identified only as “Francisco,” who is undocumented and works as a taquero, shared his fears while balancing the need to provide for himself.
“We can’t go out to work as much on the streets now,” Francisco said in Spanish.
Witnessing some colleagues get arrested has caused him significant anxiety.
To protect himself, Francisco mentioned that he has restricted his movement and is relying on services like Uber Delivery for daily necessities.
Still, he emphasized, “If we don’t go out to work, how do we cover our expenses?”
The increased enforcement actions have coincided with improvements in the Los Angeles Police Department’s ability to manage protests related to these immigration operations.
Thanks to a newly imposed curfew that began this week, the police reported a dramatic decrease in detentions amid the protests, with only 81 arrests recorded on Wednesday, down from 225 a day earlier.
In response to growing unrest following intensified immigration actions, including measures that deployed both the National Guard and Marines into urban areas, protests have surged.
On Wednesday night, the LAPD warned all remaining protesters downtown that they would face arrest.
Within minutes, the initial crowd had dwindled to dozens of demonstrators gathered outside the county courthouse, where police surrounded them.
In a show of defiance, some protesters sat down on the ground, writing numbers for bail support on their arms as over a hundred law enforcement officers formed a barrier around them.
Authorities reported that LAPD had arrested 71 individuals for failure to disperse and charged several others with more serious offenses, including assault against police officers.
A curfew from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. now extends throughout most of downtown Los Angeles, including areas surrounding City Hall, the main county criminal courthouse, and federal buildings that have been the focal point of demonstrations.
Despite the maturity and peace displayed by many protesting against these immigration actions, some individuals have taken advantage of the unrest, resulting in burglaries or altercations with law enforcement under the cover of the crowd.
As protests continued into the night, LAPD adjusted tactics to respond more effectively, issuing dispersal orders earlier and focusing their resources on those engaging in violent behavior.
On Wednesday evening, crowds marched from Pershing Square to City Hall where police declared it an unlawful assembly, employing less-lethal munitions to disperse attendees.
A horde of protesters found themselves pushed into Gloria Molina Grand Park where they gathered and shouted slogans like ‘Shame!’ in response to law enforcement’s heavy-handed tactics.
image source from：https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-06-12/second-night-curfew-downtown-los-angeles
