Since the federal government began a focused crackdown in June, Los Angeles officials say that more than 10,000 people who are in the United States without authorization have been taken into custody. Those arrested include suspects who have been charged with serious offenses such as murder, kidnapping, sex crimes, and vehicle‑theft, according to a statement from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
The operation is part of a larger strategy to target the most dangerous undocumented immigrants in cities across the country. Over the last half‑year, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has worked alongside DHS and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to conduct thousands of arrests despite the city’s status as a sanctuary jurisdiction under California law.
DHS officials noted that the campaign has succeeded even amid violent protests: some rioters physically attacked law‑enforcement personnel, launched objects like rocks and Molotov cocktails, and tried to hinder lawful arrests. Nonetheless, the agency reports that the arrests have curbed violent crime.
In response to the uptick in ICE operations, Los Angeles has proposed new regulations designed to limit what residents perceive as “secret police” tactics. One measure would bar ICE agents from wearing masks during interactions with the public.
The DHS also released names of ten individuals who were identified as “the worst of the worst.” These people are in the country illegally and face charges that include rape, aggravated assault, armed carjacking, homicide, kidnapping, child‑sexual offenses, attempted drug smuggling, and aggravated sexual assault of a child. One of those noted in the release, Juan Carlos Tamayo from Mexico, was convicted of multiple homicide‑related offenses. Another, Rene Reyes‑Miranda, a Cuban national, faces a wide array of crimes ranging from child sexual offenses to burglary.
Tricia McLaughlin, an assistant secretary at DHS, criticized local politicians, saying that officials in Los Angeles and its county have “failed the people of California” by “allowing these criminals to roam free.” She praised law‑enforcement for making communities safer, while condemning what she described as “demonizing” actions toward officers during the raids.
Meanwhile, Governor Gavin Newsom has called for an end to what he terms the militarization of Los Angeles. Citing the negative effects of the raids on local neighborhoods and businesses, he urged federal officials to halt these actions, arguing that the current tactics violate constitutional rights and target people based on skin color and language. Newsom’s statement was shared on government websites, calling for an end to the ongoing chaos.
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