DHS Drone Surveillance and Curfew at LA Protests

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) deployed high-altitude MQ-9 Predator drones to surveil Los Angeles protests related to immigration raids, releasing aerial footage on social media that labeled the events as riots despite reports of mostly peaceful demonstrations. The drones, operating at about 22,000 feet, were used for situational awareness and officer safety, though critics argue this constitutes surveillance of First Amendment activities. The response included use of additional federal and local aircraft, such as LAPD helicopters, for crowd control. Authorities enforced a citywide curfew imposed by Mayor Karen Bass and conducted mass arrests, mainly for failure to disperse. Federal escalation also involved deployment of National Guard and Marines to the area. The use of military-grade surveillance technology against domestic protests has drawn sharp criticism from privacy and civil liberties advocates.