ICE Raids Trigger Large-Scale Protests, Clashes Across Los Angeles

In Los Angeles, coordinated federal immigration raids targeting areas with significant Korean American and immigrant populations have sparked mass protests and violent clashes. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detained over 165 individuals across multiple locations, including the fashion district and worksites, leading to widespread condemnation from community groups such as the Korean American Federation of Los Angeles and immigrant rights activists who decried the raids as heavy-handed and lacking proper legal procedures. The Trump administration defended the enforcement actions, with White House officials accusing city leaders of undermining immigration law and labeling the protests as insurrection. In response, local and state officials, including Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and Governor Gavin Newsom, criticized the federal crackdown as politically motivated and unnecessary, expressing concern over the deployment of National Guard troops under a rebellion clause. Protesters clashed fiercely with federal officers using flashbangs, tear gas, rubber bullets, and pepper balls, with arrests made on both sides amid escalating tensions in immigrant communities. The operations have intensified the debate over aggressive immigration policies under President Trump, highlighting deep divisions between federal enforcement priorities and sanctuary city protections.