A series of immigration enforcement raids by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) beginning Friday afternoon have ignited protests across the heart of Los Angeles, resulting in considerable discourse on social media that has often been rife with misinformation.
Over the course of recent days, numerous rumors have circulated, claiming that ICE operations were occurring at school graduations, Home Depot locations, and various hotels where agents were reportedly stationed.
In light of these events, it is essential to clarify the current situation concerning ICE actions in Los Angeles and the accompanying protests.
Contrary to claims of widespread violence and chaos, the protests have primarily focused in the downtown area of Los Angeles, specifically in the Civic Center region. This area, which houses courthouses and federal buildings, has been the epicenter of demonstrations, with sporadic clashes between law enforcement and protesters.
Rick Caruso, a prominent real estate developer and former president of the L.A. Police Commission, stated on X that there is “no emergency, widespread threat, or out of control violence in Los Angeles.”
Many media outlets and social media commentators have characterized Los Angeles as a war zone; however, the reality is a sprawling city encompassing more than 500 square miles, and the protests have not spread widely across that territory.
Within this context, a specific concern arose regarding the safety of children during school events. A viral Instagram video shared by user @heymrhowie described parents fleeing a graduation ceremony at Gratts Elementary School in fear of ICE intervention, claiming that children were left behind in confusion and distress. This report drew significant attention and concern from the community.
However, during a press conference on Monday, Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent Alberto Carvalho dismissed these fears, asserting that no credible threat to the graduation ceremony was identified. “We’ve investigated it,” Carvalho said, reinforcing that the legitimate concerns may have been heightened by fear and uncertainty within the community.
He added that simply seeing unmarked federal vehicles could understandably provoke anxiety among residents, prompting them to suspect the presence of ICE agents.
In a separate incident, there were reports of ICE agents staying at hotels in Pasadena, questioning local hotel staff regarding their immigration status, which stoked further unease among community members.
Pasadena City spokesperson Lisa Derderian confirmed that federal agents had been spotted at two local hotels but said that local authorities were unaware of any planned raids.
Derderian emphasized, “ICE does not coordinate with our City,” and acknowledged the presence of protesters outside one of the hotels, stating, “We ask the public to please not assume every marked federal vehicle is connected to ‘raids.’”
The protest outside the AC Hotel included over 100 demonstrators, with Pasadena City officials among those voicing opposition to ICE’s activities. City Councilman Rick Cole described the rally as necessary to send a message against what he termed an attack on workers and families.
Despite anticipations of further unrest, the atmosphere outside the hotel was relatively calm on Monday, marking a stark contrast to the heightened tensions over the weekend.
Additionally, misinformation spread online as users shared images and videos that falsely connected recent events to ongoing protests. One widely circulated video depicted police vehicles on fire; however, this footage originated from protests in 2020 and not from the current demonstrations against ICE.
James Woods, a conservative commentator, and other online users mistakenly attributed these images to the latest events, despite the reality being less dramatic.
Reportedly, during the current protests, tensions escalated along the 101 Freeway, where demonstrators clashed with law enforcement. Protesters were seen throwing concrete and other heavy objects at police vehicles, while only one fire occurred related to a group of autonomous Waymos that were set ablaze.
In Paramount, another flashpoint during the weekend, Assemblymember José Luis Solache Jr. reported seeing a caravan of U.S. Customs and Border Protection vehicles linked to a federal law enforcement facility.
Alerting the public through social media, Solache’s post attracted demonstrators to the area, which ultimately led to confrontations throughout the day between protestors and law enforcement.
As these confrontations intensified, President Donald Trump ordered the deployment of 2,000 National Guard troops to Los Angeles, citing that local law enforcement had become overwhelmed by the protests.
The police response to the escalating situation included the use of tear gas and flash-bang grenades as protesters attempted to obstruct the exit of ICE and border patrol vehicles from the Paramount Business Center.
By late into the night, demonstrators began to gradually disperse, signaling a slow return to normalcy.
However, one individual who allegedly threw rocks at law enforcement vehicles, leading to injuries, has been placed on the FBI’s Most Wanted list as authorities seek assistance in identifying him.
The overall context of these events illustrates the complex and often tumultuous nature of ICE operations amidst heightened community fear and misinformation, leaving many residents grappling with uncertainty regarding their safety and the implications of national policies on local communities.
image source from：https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-06-10/la-ice-protests-truth-vs-fiction
