Los Angeles is preparing for what could be the biggest immigration raid in the city’s history. A leaked report obtained by the Los Angeles Times shows that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), along with the FBI and DEA, is planning a major operation to arrest undocumented immigrants and people with outstanding deportation orders.
According to the leaked information, the raid is scheduled for Sunday, February 23. While ICE regularly conducts these types of operations, the scale of this one has caused concern among immigrant communities and advocacy groups. A federal official, speaking anonymously, admitted that extra personnel were required, showing just how large this operation will be. Los Angeles, one of the country’s biggest “sanctuary cities,” has now become the main focus of immigration enforcement under the Trump administration’s stricter policies. “We are putting them on alert,” the official said. “They are not the only ones preparing—we are organizing our community for self-defense.”
This action is part of a larger national strategy by the Trump administration, which has been carrying out immigration sweeps in three cities each week. Now, all signs suggest Los Angeles is next.
Immigrant Communities in LA Take Action
After hearing about the planned raid, over 60 organizations in California have united to create the “Community Self-Defense Coalition,” a group focused on resisting ICE operations and protecting at-risk individuals.
“If ICE raids an apartment, a church, or any building, we will call people to surround the place and stop them,” said Ron Gochez, a spokesperson for Unión del Barrio. Other activist groups have also pledged to patrol neighborhoods, warning residents when ICE agents are nearby.
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